Looking In The Mirror
by kira6384
Summary: Life is actually a precious thing, of course I didn't realize how precious until I died the first time. After that I realized that I could actually make a difference, even though fate seemed determined make me suffer while I tried. Fate decided to ef me over huh. OC SI (this is also an AO3 under kira6384, however this version is going to be updated- there is cussing)
1. Do over?

**Chapter 1**

I hadn't really expected to die, at least not in the mundane, boring way that I did. Sure, I was a civilian in a civilian centered world, where all that mattered was my relative comfort, but I thought I would become more than a simpering teenager, one that obsessed far too easily, and was just as easily distracted.

After I decided to join the Army when I got out of high school, I thought I would at least live long enough to see some awesome places, or at least get through basic and become stronger and more confident. But that wasn't what happened at all.

I simply was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and had very little reason to be. I had been walking to the store on a nice sunny day, and some random stranger shouldn't have been driving, but was. That was the last thing that registered in my mind. Then I was gone.

Well, not really _gone_ , but I suppose I lost consciousness for some amount of time, because by the time I did realize I was _dead,_ I didn't feel much of anything. I figured hey, if I wasn't going to hell, don't know how I scored that, then I could sit in this eternity of nothing. I thought that until I realized I could actually feel something, but I wasn't really sure what it was.

It was warm and comforting, and since nothing hurt when I felt it, I figured I shouldn't be too horribly alarmed. So I resigned myself to waiting, and while yes it did seem like an eternity, there were notable changes as time passed. It seemed as if I could actually move my body, but I knew it shouldn't be the body I had before. Which led me to the conclusion that life hated me, and I was going to be born as an infant. If I got lucky, and wasn't a raccoon or something.

Alas, I noticed one other change that led me to believe I was human, and that I had a sibling. I could hear human speech, muffled and not really making sense, as well as some other warm presence that certainly wasn't the one around me that I was used to, or the one I realized was inside myself.

Since I knew all of this, I mean, I guess I had long enough to figure the situation out, when I started to feel the world around me rock and squirm uncomfortably, and I found myself being pushed and suddenly very much _not_ warm and comforted, I knew I was being born and refused to allow myself to scream and cry like I knew babies did. Instead I must have made gurgling sounds, rather embarrassing for a nineteen year old teenager, but the contented sighs around me seemed relieved that I was fine.

My vision was blurry, and I had a very hard time staying awake, but I was able to ascertain that the language spoken from a white blob with odd green things at the end of its appendages, was speaking either Japanese or Chinese. I only knew that because I knew they said _shonen,_ which meant boy, but I couldn't recall if that was the same in Chinese.

Until I saw my mother, I thought everything was fine, because once I was near her face, my unfocused eyes could actually register her face, the crease of worry between her eyebrows, and then the initial recognition kicked in.

Surely she was just born in Japan, there had to be many women who could happen to look like the human version of an anime character. RIght?

I had been wrong. In so, so many ways. The woman I recognized was indeed, Mikoto Uchiha. After I was born, well, after my twin _freaking Sasuke Uchiha,_ was born, we were wrapped in blankets and fed. I noticed, rather oddly, there had only been one person to help bring us into the world, and that person had left. We seemed to be home, because we were taken to a bedroom down the hall and laid in beds, and then left.

I knew we were safe, and most likely, and it felt strange to say it, but my new mother was a trained ninja, or had been, and was likely hungry and tired after bringing us into the world. She did shortly return however, but my newborn body was very exhausted, and by that time I was drifting off to sleep.

As I fell asleep, I realized my covers were a pale green, a color I actually liked quite a bit, but well, I had been a girl before. I expected either purple or pink, no matter how much I despised the color, but I got mint green. I suspected that I could still be a girl, technically, but it all seemed very odd.

My body was ill suited to figuring the situation out at this point, so I was resigned to being dressed in the standard Uchiha navy blue.

After what seemed to be several weeks living primarily with our new mother, the man that I already despised decided to grace us with his appearance. I had been trying to learn basic speech, I knew very basic Japanese words from my old life, but this body couldn't speak very well.

When he entered the room, I actually made sure to freeze. My mother seemed to do the same thing as he looked at me, and when his gaze shifted to my twin, her gaze relaxed. Something was definitely up. I still hadn't had a chance to look at my body, I was an infant and had to let my body do incapable for now. When Fugaku, no Father, walked over to me to pick me up, I had to force myself to at least try and act like a child. I attempted to reach out and touch his face while he held be, but he grimaced and set me back down. I was relieved to finally be away from his scrutiny.

He seemed much more happy when he looked at Sasuke and he did nothing, simply stared. Right, Uchiha generally didn't express excess emotion. Well, I wasn't going to act to his conventions very well now would I?

After that, we spent much less time in our cribs and were able to play with each other and the toys we were given. Oddly enough, our teething toys were gummy shuriken and kunai, and the blocks we played with had hiragana on them, and the letters that I supposed were associated with them.

I was grateful to have Sasuke as a sibling, because I wasn't alone. And I helped him learn things as soon as I could figure it out. Motor functions were the hardest to learn, but I made an amazing discovery when Mother left to go do something. Sasuke wouldn't recall me looking down my own diaper, but when I did, I was shocked. I had indeed been born a girl, but from what I could tell, I was supposed to act like a boy. Until Mother talked to me about it, I figured it had to do with Father, who I barely even saw. By this time we were only a couple of months old, and neither Sasuke or I had managed to really talk at all. We could kind of communicate with each other, which I was so okay with because I wasn't alone. Sure, I was officially a member of a clan that would be reduced to four members in about six years, I could still have a family until then. I didn't get that in my old life, and while it was still sick that I would lose this one, it was something.

By the time we were both crawling we finally met Itachi, and I couldn't help the happy gurgling sound that erupted when he walked in. He actually seemed shocked to see a two and a half month infant jumping up and running across the room to him. So I could actually stand, that was news to me. I didn't want to try it until I knew Sasuke-kun could, I mean, he would get hurt and cry and that wouldn't be good. He did try to get up, and he managed a couple of steps before he fell. Itachi didn't stay long, but he was there long enough for me to know his chakra.

Soon after that, Mother took us both to visit the woman I knew to be Kushina, but otherwise scared the utter crap out of me. I knew she had the nine-tails in her, but she was really quite intense to meet. At least she had to split her attention three ways, or I would probably have passed out.

That was something odd I had noticed, chakra wasn't really easy for me to feel quite yet. It was likely that was due to her young age, but after a couple of weeks when a sudden death like chakra was permeating the air, I could notice it much easier. The Uchiha clan had their own evacuation plans, naturally, no reason to let them deal with normal villagers, and it didn't seem like the attack was all that long when you were curled up frozen against your mother for an entire night.

After that, time seemed to go even faster. Talking was something that came gradually, Sasuke-kun learned it slightly slower that I did. The Kyuubi attack terrified me to be honest, and I knew that I needed to step up the game. Although I could walk, it was tiring and I mostly crawled around until Sasuke-kun started to walk more. I could associate basic hiragana to their letters thanks to the toy blocks, and Mother seemed content to read to me and Sasuke-kun when one of us cried from nightmares of the attack. It really had been traumatizing, mostly for me at least. It wasn't something I would ever forget.

When we had our first birthday, we could both walk, and speak very vague sentences. I could understand most of what out parents said, but Father was still very distance and seemed very mean. That was when I decided I could try to play with my chakra, some at least, and I discovered it really wasn't that easy to focus on. I was aware of it when I thought about it, but I didn't like to. I remembered the Kyuubi too well, and I knew I had to get over it. I couldn't get away with much besides making my hands glow, but it was progress.

At the same time. Mother decided to make us start exercising and stretching. The Uchiha style of taijutsu seemed straightforward to me, and I found myself catching onto it rather quickly, and I didn't realize how that could ever be a bad thing. Until I saw how far ahead of my slightly younger brother I was, then I realized I was doing too well.

It seemed odd to me that Mother never mentioned that fact that well, I was a girl. I had long since ditched the diapers, basically as soon as I could walk, I mean being changed by my mother was embarrassing.

"Kaa-chan?" Even as I said it, I realized I didn't even know my own name. Mother and Father referred to Sasuke a lot, and Itachi, but I was kind of just there. Because I was girl and it seemed like I was pretending to be something I wasn't. I didn't mind getting to wear pants, but Mother always looked sad when she laid out my clothing, like she would rather it be pink and purple dresses, anything besides the standard knee length pants and t-shirts with the Uchiha fan.

"Yes dear?" Her eyes were distant as she said it, and thats when it hit me. I really shouldn't exist, and it was like everyone else knew it.

I tried to think about what I was going to say, but I found myself suddenly unable to even do that. I knew there must be some sort of reason for how I was being treated, but I couldn't figure it out yet. "I-is there a reason I'm not treated like Sasuke-kun and Itachi-nii-san?"

Mother had been doing dishes, and she very abruptly put the plate she was working on in the sink. She was frowning, and I could tell my question hit a nerve. She dried her hands off and took mine in hers, and led me to my bedroom where Sasuke-kun was napping. She leaned down to look me in the eyes before she answered.

"You are perfect Mirai, but your father wants to live in denial right now. You are different from your brothers, but right now you need to pretend, okay? When you join the Academy, I'll make sure you are with the people you belong with. It isn't- it isn't right what hes doing to you, but I can't stop him. But I'll try. Okay?" She had a sad but also determined look in her eyes as she said it.

"Yes Kaa-chan, I can pretend. I'm good at that." I gave her a close eyed smile, and the topic wasn't breached between us after that.


	2. Realizations

**Chapter 2**

Not being alone was very, very nice. Sure, being a child again sucked, but having a sibling like Sasuke-kun made it much more tolerable. There were obvious problems, we slept a lot and a lot of our time spent was either playing with each other, or bothering Itachi-nii-san to play with us.

That was always the hardest. He was busy most of the time, and he left early in the mornings. Mother was very amicable to show us both easy stretches, seeing as she was our mother and wanted to let us be entertained, with our adoration of our older brother, all she had to do to convince us to do something, was to say it was 'Ninja Stuff'. Granted, my reason for trying to learn and be in shape was because I wanted to keep destruction from occurring as badly as it did in the version of the world I remembered, but it was likely that my existence was more than enough to change quite a bit.

Sasuke-kun and I quickly had an inseparable bond, for obvious reasons. Sure, he was young and naive and very easily distracted. Neither of us were too pressured to learn basic reading quite yet, but we had a couple books that were obviously geared to children. I spent my time looking at them when Sasuke-kun was napping mostly, because he didn't seem to want to learn it quite yet. Thats also when I would play with what little chakra I had. I could identify family by their chakra, even though it was all concealed. If I didn't think about chakra, I could barely tell it was there, but if I focused it wasn't very hard.

When Sasuke-kun and I were able to actually run around (kind of) wherever we wanted on clan grounds, Itachi-nii-san seemed to spend more time with us. He couldn't trust us with actual weapons quite yet, we really were quite young for peace time standards, but he let us follow him around. Thats when the obsession with cats started. I actually couldn't help it when I found myself becoming very excited about it. Sure, I had the mind of a teenager, but I had never had a childhood, and this time I had real siblings. Sue me, I was a child at heart. And I loved kittens, but I already knew that. Good thing I haven't seen any bunnies.

 _Swish-_ "Itachi-nii-san! I got one- ow!" I could hear Sasuke-kun a ways off, and I whipped my head to see him. He was holding an orange tabby at arms length, and it seemed to be clawing madly at him. I quickly jogged over to where he was, and grabbed the kitty by the back of its neck. It slumped, and I couldn't help but ponder if it was enjoying it, or angry that I knew how to make it stop hurting my brother. When Itachi took the kitty from me, I decided I didn't care too much.

Itachi-nii-san carefully coaxed the kitty into putting its paw on the ink whateveritscalled, and put its print in a little book. Once he was done with said kitty, he set it on the ground only for me to go over to it and start petting the heck out of it. It actually started to purr, and the shout of glee I let escape my mouth wouldn't have been smothered if I tried. Just, _kitties! So damn cute!_ I hugged the kitty to my face, only to hold it out and sneeze violently. I calmly set the cat down and let it wander off. I had already gotten yelled at once for trying to sneak a cat into the house. And that was Mother, I couldn't imagine how father would act. I shivered involuntarily.

Since we were able to wander the clan grounds, we didn't actually meet many other clan children. Mother said that when we were a little older we could wander around Konoha, and I realized why one evening when I woke up from thirst. Sasuke-kun and I still shared a room, I mean we were young, and I didn't think it mattered because we were siblings and we were very close. Sasuke knew I was a girl, but he didn't realize that most girls wore dresses or liked pink or purple. I wasn't like that, and since I was a girl he thought all girls should be like me. I was actually quite flattered.

I padded down the hallway leading to the kitchen, and I knew I wasn't being too horribly quiet. I was a child not trained for stealth yet, and since I was only going to get a drink of water I didn't think it mattered. Then I could hear the yelling, and I stopped moving altogether.

"You need to treat her how she is, she is our daughter and you need to not pressure her like you did Itachi!" My mother, obviously irate, could only be yelling at my father.

"I'm going to treat her like I do everyone else in this family! All I will accept from her is perfection. She could easily be as strong as Itachi, if you didn't keep her with her brother all the time. Mirai is better than him and can become more." His voice was cold, and I felt a numbness start to set into my bones. If he was going to cause Sasuke-kun to push himself hard enough to hurt himself, I wouldn't let it be because of me. No, Sasuke-kun will become strong because we can be together, and Itachi-nii-san can help-

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I nearly screamed, but I stopped when I realized it was Itachi-nii-san. He looked at me with sad eyes, and took my hand. He led me outside to the back balcony. "Don't let father pressure you imouto. If you want-"

I interrupted him before he could go any further. "I want to be with Sasuke-kun, and I want him to become strong because I'm here to help him. I- I don't want him to be alone." I could feel the emotions welling up in my chest, causing it to expand and ache. "I know things otouto-san. I-" I jumped and stopped talking, because his hand was ruffling my hair. It was the same style as my twins, and that was because watching people flounder as they tried to tell us apart, well, it was worth it. What they seemed to not notice, was that my hair was more blue than black, but it was still dark.

"E-eh?" I looked up at my brother confused.

"Don't worry imouto. I know you are smart, and if you stay with your otouto, you will both be amazing." He was giving me a genuine smile, and I felt truly happy. Maybe I really could make a difference.

I didn't let on that I heard the argument between my parents, and I made sure that I started to dress slightly more girly than before. I had some Uchiha style tunic dress things, and I would wear leggings underneath them, because it was easier to run around and wreak havoc with Sasuke-kun that way.

Our third birthday came, and with that more freedom. We had to be home before dark, but we could wander Konoha. Sasuke-kun and I were buying dango from a stall when I saw someone who well, I needed to go greet. I quickly bought another dango, and under the inquisitive gaze of my twin, ran off the adorable little blondie sitting on a swing. He was looking wistfully at a group a kids, all playing some game. He looked over startled when I handed him a dango stick, a smile plastered on my face.

Sasuke came running after me, seeming to understand that I wanted to make friends with him.

"Ah, hi, I'm Sasuke! Th-this is my nee-chan Mirai. Umm- you seem sad." Boy, Sasuke-kun was adorable. He managed to convince Naruto that we didn't mean him harm, and he tentatively took the dango from me. I plopped down on the ground next to him and started to eat mine. Sasuke followed suit.

"Uh- well I kind of am I guess." He seemed hesitant to talk still, used to people deciding not to hang out with him. "Its just- I'm going to start the Academy soon and- and so are those kids and they are mean and-" I saw him scowl. "I don't have any friends." He bit into the food, and his eyes seemed to water at the same time.

I looked up at him. He was indeed very sad, and I knew he started the Academy early. But already, he didn't have friends? Thats cruel. A child, practically the savior of the village, was being ostracized by the people he saved. "We can be your friends." I looked at Sasuke-kun, who already seemed to understand that we should. My influence on him seemed rather obvious by this point. "Isn't that right Sasuke-kun?"

He started nodding vigorously. "Of course nee-chan! Without you I'd be alone, and- and no one deserves to be alone. Ever. It sucks." I knew he was thinking of the time I had a cold, and for a few days he didn't have anyone to play with, and Itachi-nii-san was on a mission. I turned to Naruto and smiled.

"Oh- you should tell us your name if we are all going to be besties."

He stared at me, mouth agape. Then his face broke into a massive grin and he exclaimed, "I'm Naruto Uzumaki! Believe it!"

I think I can make a difference, so long as Sasuke-kun can make more friends, and Naruto-kun isn't alone all of his childhood.

Well, while it was nice that I convinced Sasuke-kun to befriend Naruto-kun, the rivalry started very quickly. I generally watched them as they ran laps for what seemed like hours, just to see who stopped first. Or, who could eat their dango slowest, fastest, even with the most flair. As I watched, I was able to see how the civilians seemed genuinely confused. Two Uchiha clan kids were friends with a boy they had all deemed unfit to even recognize as a person. If they glared at him, they found themselves getting a glare from myself.

Too bad I thought Father would understand, because when we got home and Sasuke-kun was going on and on about his new rival, Father stared at us with anger, cold hatred for the boy obvious. Mother seemed very happy, and told us to invite him over for dinner. It seemed, despite Fathers hatred for Naruto-kun, he was resigned to let him come over. Since Mother helped bring him into this world, he understood that she wanted to help. It was very obvious how upset it made him, and the two probably argued, but neither Sasuke-kun or I heard it.

When Naruto-kun came over, he was very fidgety, almost terrified he would be yelled at for simply existing in that area of space. When I opened to door for him, I hugged him as tight as I could. It was sad, seeing a child so scared of adults, of people getting close and then breaking his trust. When Mother saw him, she began fussing over the state of his clothing. He had an orange shirt and dark shorts, both of which were stained. She quickly grabbed some of Sasuke-kuns clothing, which was a little big, but fit none the less, and washed his other clothing. She didn't mention taking the clothing back, and Naruto seemed overwhelmed.

Dinner was nothing I didn't expect it to be. I was quiet, while Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun argued over any little thing, but in a friendly way. Mother kept asking Naruto-kun questions about how he was living, how he was doing in school and such. When it became obvious he needed help with some of the material, she told him to come over after school for help. Thats how all three of us ended up in the backyard every afternoon, either running or practicing taijutsu and throwing shuriken or kunai. We were young sure, but we all wanted to protect our city. A deep friendship was being born, and I was very proud that Sasuke-kun seemed to be a different person from the one I knew from the show.

A/N: Alright! So I wanted to say thank you to AriaPsiana389, simply because reviews are magic and because of that, you all get the next chapter before AO3 does. Reviews seriously do matter, so yeah. I'd like to know if I make mistakes, they aren't hard to fix. I'm going to try and update at least once a week for now, but if I'm in a good mood and I want to type, I will. So yeah, thanks for reading!


	3. Unfortunately

**Unfortunately**

I hadn't realized Sasuke-kun and I wouldn't be joining the academy for a while. Naruto had to start going, since he was an orphan and it was pretty much free baby sitting, and yeah Konoha was an amazing place and I was so grateful to be born here, but they treated their orphans like dirt. Since Sasuke-kun and I were no longer able to hang out with Naruto-kun as much, we both started to learn chakra control from Father. We were only four, but since we were clan children it only figured that we would start young. I had actually started before that, and it was apparent that I was ahead of my twin when Father started us out with fundamentals.

He wanted us to meditate, which I easily did, but Sasuke-kun seemed agitated every time he tried to sit still at first. After a few weeks he got it, and I was glad, because I had gotten to the point where I could feel the chakra in the air around me as soon as I shut my eyes to meditate. If I kept my eyes open, I could see it swirl around slightly, but not a lot.  
After that we worked with forming chakra to our hands and basically just getting it out of our cores. I wasn't as good at that, but that's because I had been afraid to work on something that could cause me to pass out without our parents knowing we were working on it.

During all of this, Sasuke-kun and I didn't see Itachi-nii a whole lot. But when we did well, he brought a friend. And we both immediately latched ourselves onto him. I knew who he was, and I knew what would happen, but I couldn't help but get attached to him.

"Itachi-nii! Who is this? Is he a ninja like you?! Can we play with him?" My own excitement was visible, and Sasuke-kun was bouncing around with me. The joy of being young again.

Itachi smiled at us both and patted our heads. "Sadly not now. We both are off on a mission, but when we get back, I promise we will both help you train." And fwish, they were gone.

I pouted and Okaa-san promptly distracted me by asking me to help her make supper. I couldn't help but be excited my mundane things like cooking, because in my old life, I didn't get this. To be happy. Not really safe like I was before, but I was happy. As we worked on food, Father came home from whatever it is head of clans do. I was watching the rice (because heavens no, don't actually trust a four year old to cook), and he actually seemed to smile for a second, but then it was gone.

Time can fly fast when you are young. And since for me it was a real childhood, I was startled when Sasuke-kun and I had yet another birthday. We had both gotten closer, as you would expect twins to do, and we kept trying to be stronger everyday. Sasuke-kun easily outlasted me stamina wise, as he was a boy and had boundless energy, but I had much better chakra control than he did. I could actually very easily recognize people by their chakra, and if I closed my eyes I could kind of sense where people were and how far away, but not very far. That was probably just because I knew how different chakra was, since I had been used to it not being there. I wasn't sure when Sasuke-kun had learned jutsu, before, but we hadn't learned anything that advanced yet.

Naruto-kun came over pretty close to every single day, and at first it continued to bother Father, but he eventually seemed to be neutral about it all. The times I was in town with Naruto-kun, I noticed people still seemed wary of him, but they didn't seem to be mean to him anymore. Mother made sure he had food for lunch and dinner, and clean clothing. A lot of it was Sasuke-kuns, and I knew that made Naruto-kun mad, but he seemed more happy than anything else about not standing out.

Since he came over so often, he actually got help with the work that I knew he wouldn't have understood otherwise. Sure he wouldn't have the best grades, but he would at least be able to say he did his best and that there were people there for him. He also trained with Sasuke-kun and I, and while we seemed a bit faster and a bit stronger, he wasn't too far behind.

That seemed to be how time went for a while. Itachi-nii-san was on a lot of missions, but he and Shisui-nii-san would come back and help us out every once in awhile, and the first time Naruto-kun was over when they both returned, it couldn't have gone any better than it did.

"Naruto-kun! Don't focus your chakra like that, you're wasting it." I scowled at him. He needed to get control down and not use as much as I knew he had in the future. Control can amount to power, and he needs to be strong. I watched Naruto-kun frown deeply with his eyes squeezed shut, as his hands were clapped together in front of him. I was trying to convince him that meditating was helpful, and not just napping sitting up.

Sasuke-kun had gone inside to get a snack, and I heard him yell out with joy, and at that moment I opened my chakra to figure out what was happening. Naruto-kun looked alarmed and scared, because he rarely heard Sasuke-kun yell, and I realized then that Naruto-kun didn't know we had an older brother.

There was a grin across my face right away, and I grabbed Naruto-kun's hand and helped him sit up.

"Come on Naruto-kun! There's someone you should meet. He's not home often when we are, he goes on a lot of missions, but he helps make us stronger and better and you'll love him!"

By this point Naruto-kun looked very, very alarmed but he stood up and let me drag him behind me anyway. We both ran through the back door and saw Sasuke-kun hugging Itachi-nii-san. Naruto-kun froze, he didn't like new people very much. He still couldn't tell if they would be nice to him, just ignore him, or be cruel.

Itachi-nii-san looked at us both, and I wasn't shocked to see him smile. He helped Sasuke-kun and I defend Naruto-kun to Father many times, and he knew we were friends with him. His eyes closed, and I knew he was genuinely happy to see Naruto-kun here.

"Hello Naruto-kun. My siblings have told me a lot about you. I'm glad to finally meet you. If you would like I can train you with them after supper.

Naruto-kun's face had gone from slight fear to down right joy. He didn't have a family, but since we had met him it seems like he knows what having one felt like. I felt a pang in my heart, because I had once been like him. I had been unable to have a childhood in my old life, mostly because of my circumstances. Being able to give another child a chance, to know what family could be, made me happier than even existing in this world.

I had plans of course, I had wondered before I was born in this new world what I could try to do to help. Right now the only thing I could plan on though was existing. And as time went on, I knew that would become harder to do. I didn't want to fall in love, I didn't even know if I could really change anything. Just being here was good enough for me.I figured I could try to stay on par with my new twin when it came to taijutsu, possibly ninjutsu when we actually started to learn it. I knew too well that trying to learn the jutsus before my own chakra stores were large enough. I could read books about jutsu, especially since the clan books in our house explained some theory and gave me the hand signs, which I could at least memorize until I could perform jutsu.

It was frustrating though, because getting stronger really wasn't as easy as it seemed from the show. I knew I was young, and it would take time, but I knew there were prodigies out in the world who were younger than myself but could defeat jounin in the village. Realizing all of this, it's what pushed me forward after Sasuke-kun and I turned six. I found myself getting restless a lot more, and it seemed like the only thing I could do to stop being restless was train. Sasuke-kun trained just as hard with me, but he never seemed to want to know why. It was like he trusted that I wanted to get stronger to prove myself, and he was right by my side.

Itachi-nii-san saw both of us trying even harder, and he and Shisui-kun both tried to help us when we could. I knew we would be entering the Academy soon, and I didn't want to be passed up and separated from my brother. I didn't need to be stronger than him, just strong enough that he couldn't be on any other team than one with myself.

Father saw us both striving hard, and he seemed to have already noticed that I was reading a lot of the jutsu books that were my level. I don't recall from before when Sasuke-kun learned the great fireball jutsu, but it seemed like Father had decided that we should start on it. I remembered from before that Sasuke-kun had a hard time completing the jutsu, and getting it strong enough for his father to be happy with him. Maybe me being here, getting him to be better with chakra would help him do better.

Father made sure we could both do the handsigns and that we could channel chakra to our hands. It was actually a rather important day. Sasuke-kun and I were taken to a lake near our clans training grounds and Father told us we would have to practice here, because anywhere else would be too dangerous. Sasuke-kun went first, and as he performed the handsigns, I focused my chakra sense to see how much chakra he was using. When he blew outward, I felt my stomach clench in anticipation. A grin flew across my face as I saw a decent size, to me at least, size fireball. I saw Father smirk in the corner of my eye, and I myself was proud for my brother. From what I could tell of Sasuke-kun, he spent at least half of his chakra. We both had similar reserves, and I honestly wanted to see if I could get a larger fireball. Mostly because I knew how Father viewed me being a girl. It still stung that when I was young he didn't like the fact that I existed the way that I did.

I walked forward and closed my eyes to focus. The chakra in my center was getting excited, I wanted to prove that I was just as good as my brother. I let as much chakra as I felt Sasuke-kun use, then I added a little more chakra and started to perform the handsigns. It's hard to describe how it feels to use a jutsu. It was like a flop in my stomach, butterflies, and as I opened my eyes and blew out, I saw the fire, I felt it make my face sunburned, but I couldn't tell how big it was. I knew that I had used a decent chunk of my chakra, and that I should feel tired, but instead I felt elated. I could actually do jutsu. I had been terrified that I would try to do it, and find that I didn't have it in me.

I could feel my heartbeat in my ears, and there was still a lot of chakra around me. I felt overwhelmed by its presence suddenly. Sure it was everywhere, but this chakra had heat to it, and that when I realized I was feeling my elemental chakra that I just used.  
When Sasuke-kun and I got back home, I suddenly felt tired. I knew I had used a lot of chakra, but until now it hadn't really registered. I needed to start working on other things, because having one jutsu and doing it once didn't mean I mastered it, but I could do it. That was better than what some of the Academy kids would be at when we finally started.

Shisui-nii-san had become like an older brother to Sasuke-kun and I. He came over to eat dinner with us, and made sure that yeah, we were Uchiha, but we could have fun. That's why I felt myself getting scared when it was getting close to time for Sasuke-kun and I to join the Academy. I knew what was going to end up happening, and I knew there was nothing I could do to fix it. I wanted to talk to Itachi-nii-san about it, but it would be hard to explain. Telling him what was going to happen would probably just make it all worse.  
I didn't know what I was going to end up doing, because I didn't want Sasuke-kun to get hurt like I knew he would, but I could effect nothing in the situation. I didn't realize how bad my fear was getting, until it was too late.

 _Hello everyone! I am still alive, and yeah I realize how long it has been since I posted on this website. Although I do have good news, I have them next ten or so chapters already written, just well, on a different website._

 _I'm going to correct some grammar I noticed in them and post them here though, so the story will continue! I do like where it took this story, but I might change a few things here and there so it makes more sense._

 _Like, you can go read the other version, but it shouldn't take me more than a week to get it all on here I think._

 _I also want to say thank you to those of you who reviewed, because I honestly look back and all I've written and I can't believe I did it. Its on AO3, same title and same username, but I'm probably going to move it to FF simply because I don't have to use html to format it. Blah._

 _Anyway, if you do much as exist in this world, you better have an awesome day and be happy, because people who want you the suffer will suffer themselves! :p_

 _K-_


	4. The time in which hell reigned

**The time in which hell reigned**

I was disoriented, I couldn't really tell what was going on around me because a high pitched frequency was disrupting my every thought. My vision was blurry, and it seemed like everything around me was red, bloody and glowing. That was when the stench of death registered.

There were rotting bodies everywhere, covered in slashes and bleeding out. It looked like some of the people were still alive, but they were too far gone for anything to be done. I realized next that I was in the Uchiha district, and with that I knew what it was that was happening.

I ran through streets, none of which were familiar or represented streets I knew, trying to find home. Nothing was familiar, and there was blood everywhere, and I couldn't escape it. I was still trying to find home when a dark figure jumped in front of me.

I expected it to be my brother, but no, he had sharingan eyes sure, but he had longer black hair, and I knew he was Madara Uchiha. I felt fear then, true pure fear. He could probably break me by just looking at me. And I knew he would. Something forced my eyes to look at his, and in that moment i felt nothing but pain and agony.

"You small, pathetic weak child. You truly think you can change anything here? This is where monsters rule and people like you, don't matter. You don't belong here. Your presence won't change a thing." I didn't know if it was actually Madara's voice, but it chilled me to my core.

I woke with a start, it felt as if I had just been held under water, but that was because I was covered in sweat. Sasuke-kun and I were going to join the Academy soon, and while I knew I wasn't weak anymore, not like I had been in my old world, I didn't know if I could make it here. With my chakra sense I could tell there was someone moving around the house, and a second later I knew it was Itachi-nii-san. I climbed out of bed, sure to be quiet because Sasuke-kun and I still shared a room, and headed towards the kitchen for a drink of water.

I met Itachi-nii-san there, and he gave me a concerned glance.

"I had a nightmare." I found it very hard to look into his eyes. "It- you were there and so was someone else, he had sharingan but I didn't know him, but he told me I can't change anything and there was blood everywhere.." I finally looked up at him. His eyes were wide. "I know things. Things I shouldn't and if someone looked in my head they would see it all. I don't know how it all got there. I'm scared."

My older brother suddenly hugged me. "It'll be okay Mirai-chan. I'm here to keep you safe and so is Father. We won't let anyone hurt you."

I did my best to look up at him and keep eye contact, he needed to know that I was serious and not just a scared little girl.

"I have dreams of a future where you kill the entire clan to keep the village safe. But I don't exist in the dream. You leave Sasuke-kun alone-" I couldn't help the sob that lodged itself in my throat.

I didn't get a chance to say anything though, because I was suddenly being hugged, and the dam inside me broke, tears and fear finally pouring out.

My eyes were sore the next day, and I knew Sasuke-kun could tell something was bothering me, but he did everything he could to distract me and cheer me up, and that almost made me cry again.

Even though Sasuke-kun and I had wandered around town a lot with Naruto-kun, we didn't really see much of other clan kids unless it was a huge clan function. Even then we didn't really know them. That's why when we first met them all, at our last birthday before we joined the Academy, I did my best to at least talk to them all. I knew from experience that very few people had disliked me before, but I wasn't really the same person here. I had a lot of energy, and I wanted to go outside and run around, while most of the other clan kids seemed content with sitting in our living room for the required amount of time, and then leaving with their parents.

There were a couple of exceptions, because Kiba-kun was very willing to go outside and wreak havoc, which might have been how we ended up getting everyone outside. Naruto-kun was also outside with us, and we were mostly playing tag. I got pulled away by Mother though, because she wanted me to socialize with the other girls. I knew I wouldn't get along with them the way she wanted me to, but I tried. I couldn't help it that i had super short hair, and I hated dresses. Mother made me wear them, but I always had leggings or pants on underneath them because dresses were just impractical to me.

Ino-chan and Hinata-chan were both very wary of me, mostly because I was so hyper. I tried to calm myself down, but I just didn't get how they could sit still for so long.

They didn't stay long.

I knew that unless I seriously got my crap together, I would likely not last long in the future. Sasuke-kun and I continued to train and train until we were either chakra exhausted or about to puke. I hadn't noticed before but I really was improving. I had decent aim, and the one jutsu I knew no longer took out half of my chakra. There was no real reason to study genjutsu, but I knew the concepts and some hand seals for some.

This all was probably why I didn't get along with Ino-chan and Hinata-chan. I knew Ino-chan had a massive crush on my brother, and because of that if I saw her in town she would latch herself onto me to try and get close to him, but she didn't like to train so she didn't actually enjoy hanging out with me very often.

I hadn't realized how different the society I was in compared to this one. Generally if you were born a girl here, you acted like one, wore dresses, and even if you were a ninja you would kick ass and still be feminine. That's why Mother one day dragged me away from my twin, and I suddenly found myself in a Yamanaka's therapy office.

"Mirai-chan doesn't seem to embrace being a girl very much. I'm concerned she's going to end up growing up with wrong ideas about who she is." I was mortified as you could imagine, but there was nothing I could do. Mother had tried to get me into girly things of course, but seeing as I knew everything that would happen, I was much more concerned with the future and being able to keep everyone I loved safe.

"It could be possible that she just isn't into those things. Have you considered that?" I didn't recognize the Yamanaka that was supposed to be my therapist, but he looked like he could easily be related to Ino-chan's dad. "There are plenty of girls that embrace the life of a ninja."

Mother frowned. "It's more than that. I'm concerned she has frequent nightmares, she doesn't talk about them to anyone but her older brother, and I just want to make sure she is okay."

I couldn't be mad at her. Mother cared, and she just wanted me to be well. But to start this all off because I don't act much like a girl, didn't help her case.

At the mention of my nightmares, Yamanaka-san frowned. Nightmares were bad when you were young, because once a ninja enters combat they need to be able to manage themselves with traumatic experiences. Having nightmares young is bad, because it can mean being unable to cope, and then not being a good ninja.

"I think I may be able to help with that at least." He looked at my mother as he said that, then turned to me. "I'm going to perform a jutsu to enter your memories and try to block out whatever it is that's causing your nightmares. You are having them correct Mirai-chan?"

I nodded. I kept my eyes, down, mostly because I knew their clan jutsu's had to do with eye contact. I could feel the fear in my gut, and it was making me want to puke. I felt Mother nudge me, and I knew I either had to look up or risk them both finding out about everything in my head just from suspicion.

I looked up and the last thing I recall, the odd depth of Yamanaka-san's eyes. Weren't they just white?

It was dark around me, and it seemed like there was a hand rummaging through everything in my head, and I saw flashes of everything going backwards in this life. I had just had lunch with Sasuke-kun, and then I was outside playing with him. Then I was waking up, then going to bed, and it went on.

Suddenly I was back in the womb, and I knew Yamanaka-san was alarmed because a child shouldn't remember that time of their life, but I did. That's when I knew I needed to kick him out, but I didn't know how to. As the images from my old life flashed by, I pushed and pushed against the hand that was in my head. I could feel it starting to hurt, and I didn't know if it was working. I started to see flashes of the show, and just like that it all snapped around me. /p

I fought to regain control, but I could still see the images flashing by, searing into my head. My old childhood. The one that wasn't a childhood, where I lived in fear of my mother and moving to a new city. Then I saw when she was unstable, and instead of snapping, my mind, in a way, exploded.

I knew it was bad, mostly because I could see in my head, and I was reminded of a mind palace. As it came to mind, one seemed to form around me. I knew instinctively the memories around me were just that, memories that didn't have a place. It seemed like none of my memories a had a place, and I figured they needed a place.

I don't know how long I was there, in my mind palace, organizing everything, but what I knew is that separating my lives, and then making a room dedicated to my knowledge of the show in my old life, was the easiest way to forget the unnecessary fluff about my old life. I could recall it sure, but I didn't want to. It wasn't who I was now, and I needed to focus on the life ahead of me. Of saving people, keeping Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun safe.

About when I was done, I felt someone trying to get into my head again. I eased up on the tension of the walls around me, and Yamanaka-san appeared. He looked very shocked at everything around me. I made the doors of the rooms nearby close, because this was my head and I was done with people going through my memories.

"As you can see Yamanaka-san, everything's fine here." I didn't realize how monotone my voice was, but it sounded creepy in a detached way. "Although I myself am concerned about my nightmares. The reason I can't talk about them is because I'm sure its a future of this world. And I'm not going to let anyone hurt my brother."

Then there was nothing.

I woke up in the hospital. Nothing felt broken, but I knew I was here for a reason. Then a vaguely remembered my memories splintering, and having to organize it all in a mind palace. Did I really do that? I suddenly heard someone gasp, and I was suddenly being squeezed around my chest. Sasuke-kun was crying, and I saw Itachi-nii-san stare at me, and then leave the room. I felt his chakra, it didn't go far. Then I realized Mother was right outside the door, and she came in with him.

"Oh Mirai-chan, had I known… I wouldn't have taken you to see him. Please don't hate me, I was just concerned. I didn't want something bad to happen to you later on-" She was emotional. I knew I was still numb, from whatever the hell happened, and I knew I should be mad at her, but I couldn't be.

"Okaa-san, can I have strawberry ice cream?" I wanted her to realize that I truly didn't hate her for it. I couldn't. She was much more of a mother than anyone else in my extended life had ever been, and she did mean well. Sure my mind was a mess, but it was organized now.

"Of course. Sasuke-kun, would you like some dango?" Mother was smiling now, and Sasuke-kun also looked very happy, I was awake and my face had an expression again. While he was distracted, I decided to tackle him with a hug, forgetting that I was connected to wires, but him laughing was worth it. I wanted him to continue to laugh, exactly like this, in a few years.

We didn't start at the Academy right away, I hadn't been out more that a few days, but we were due to start soon. Since everything in my mind made a lot more sense, I found it easier to hang out with people besides Sasuke-kun.

Naruto-kun was ecstatic to see me, because no one had told him that I was in the hospital. I tackle hugged him as well, and somehow it turned into us wrestling each other. That would have been fine sure, except this was right outside of the Academy, and all the other small children were also arriving with their parents, and many were staring.

There was an initiation ceremony, and then we were students. I had a feeling that the material wouldn't be horribly difficult, and since we would be here for four years, I knew I would learn it easily.

But I was always bored. I stared out the window most of the time, but since I had the class with Naruto-kun as well, I figured I should understand the material and make extra notes for him. I knew his grades weren't great, and I wanted him to do well.

Since Sasuke-kun also seemed bored all the time, his fangirls constantly tried to talk to him. And while Sasuke-kun didn't always get along with Naruto-kun, they were opposite personalities after all, they had trained together and he felt somewhat connected to him, so he didn't mind that Naruto-kun took the seat on his other side, and effectively kept his fangirls from sitting too close to him.

Going to the Academy also meant that the other rookie nine were there, and I quickly got to at least associate myself with them. I wasn't best friends, but I could say hi to them and it wasn't out of the normal for me. I very quickly however, got Hinata-chan to be decent friends with myself. During recess I would ask her for help with chakra control, because yeah she was a Hyuuga and had pretty close to perfect control, but I also wanted to try and help her be confident enough to not stutter.

I knew Hinata-chan didn't mind much, because Naruto-kun ate his lunch near me, and she already had an adorable crush on him. She would see him and blush, then stutter and explain something to me, before looking at him again. It was just adorable, and when Naruto-kun showed interest in chakra control one day, I thought Hinata-chan would actually pass out.

We were taught mostly chakra theory, history and basic shinobi tactics and rules. We did learn taijutsu, but the Uchiha style was much better than what they taught, but I did my best to master it anyway. If anything, it gave Sasuke-kun and I more stuff to practice with each other with. We didn't actually spar with each other, but we would practice what we learned that day. Either Sasuke-kun and I would do the same with Naruto-kun, because I had vague memories of him having horrible taijutsu form, and I couldn't let that happen now.

Kunoichi classes weren't fun. That was because of course, I didn't like dresses, or makeup, and I didn't have much hair to put up in a bun. That's why I had to help put makeup on people, help them put up their hair, annoying things that I never wanted to have to do. I did get good at it though, mostly because I was sick of being told to do it over again, or stay after class.

Sakura-chan and Ino-chan tried on several occasions to be my 'best friends' but only because of who my sibling was. That's why I didn't feel bad not reacting, or even answering them. The Uchiha clan was renowned for being cold and uncaring towards others. And after what the Yamanaka did to my mind, I didn't want much to do with Ino-chan.

Seeing as we were going to school, Mother thought I should try to dress more like a girl. When I explained to her that we would be sparring, and wearing a dress made it nearly impossible to kick butt, she finally dropped the subject. I knew she was sad, her only daughter acted more like a boy than a girl, and it occurred to me that Yamanaka-san never told her what happened inside my head. All she knew, was that I was out of commision for several days, and it was because of the jutsu.

I stared at the assigned homework from Iruka-sensei and sighed. It wasn't difficult in any way, it was just boring and we were only half a year in. Sasuke-kun and I had just turned seven. Entering the Academy at six seemed normal, and the half year had gone by quickly. I couldn't remember things as well as before. I could go to my mind palace sure, but that took a lot of focus and a lot of time, and when I was there it still seemed to jumbled up.

It should be happening soon shouldn't it? Sasuke-kun had stayed at the Academy to talk to Iruka-sensei, his aim was good but he wanted perfection and he had asked for help. My aim was okay, I could actually use working on it. I was just about done with this assignment anyway. I added a few more details, it was mostly on why ninja used genjutsu, nothing remotely hard. I ran to the back yard, there were target stumps and practice made perfect.

I started collecting shuriken and kunai leftover from the last time either Sasuke-kun or I practiced, and I felt it. My chakra sense had been faded, kind of background noise to know if Sasuke-kun was about to enter the house mostly. It was like white noise was being emitted into my veins, the feedback from the sudden chakra use all around me caused me to collapse onto the ground.

Fear coursed through me, more than I ever felt before, and I didn't know if I should hide or curl up into a ball. Mother and Father had been in their bedroom, I felt their chakra die out, and I felt Itachi-nii-san's chakra alone in the house. What I didn't expect, was to feel a different, much darker and much larger chakra appear behind me.

I was curled up on the ground, I knew I was crying, but I didn't feel much of anything. There was adrenalin everywhere, and distantly I remembered my nightmare from a year ago, about Madara Uchiha, getting into my head.

I didn't want to turn around, but it wasn't up to me. I felt a rough angry hand grab my shirt from behind me, and I was lifted up and turned around to face him. He wasn't like he was in my dream, not at all. He looked like Tobi, and as I realized that, I made eye contact.

Once again, there was a hand in my head, trying to find out what I knew, but this time I was in my palace, and I was closing the walls around me, and it was suffocating me, but I felt safer. It was my head and he needed to get out. I pushed and pushed, but he was stronger than Yamanaka-san, and I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. I couldn't do anything and it scared me. There were things in my head he wasn't allowed to see, ever.

So I imagined an atomic bomb, because they didn't exist here and it might work and don't blame me I was desperate. I imagined everything going outwards, pushing Madara far far away from my mind. There were colors, colors I can't even describe, but they all ended red, bloody bloody red, it seemed like it was dripping into my eyes and I wished I could make it go away.

I opened my eyes and I was still outside. It was dark, and I saw a tall figure standing not too far from myself. I knew it was Itachi-nii-san, I knew because I could see his eyes, and I knew what he was going to do. I could feel the tears on my face, but I couldn't leave without saying it to him.

"I-Itachi-nii-san, I know why you had to do this. I can't hate you. I-I know Sasuke-kun might, but I won't let him. You love us-" I was about to let out a sob but I caught myself. "Danzo-baka can die in a ditch. He has Shisui's eye Itachi-nii. He-he's going to take the clans eyes too." I felt something in my eyes shift, not like tears, but like a mechanism locked into place. I was staring Itachi-nii in his eyes, so I wasn't shocked when I found myself in a red black world, and I saw him killing everyone. What I hated most, is that he showed himself hurting Sasuke-kun. And with that I felt nothing but anger. And it seems like he felt it too, because in the genjutsu his eyes widened, but the onslaught continued. And it seemed like it would never, ever end.

Waking up was a slow occurrence. I heard the people around me talking at first, mentioning how my vitals were, and what my chance of making it was. Then I would slip into an abyss, darkness enveloping me again. Every once in awhile I could feel the chakra signatures of those around me. I didn't recognize any of them, and at one point I wanted to scream because I know Madara was there, in the room with me and I was alone and vulnerable, and I had to tell myself it was probably Tobi not Madara, I had been confused before but actually I still was. Was it Madara or Tobi? I couldn't recall. Then he was gone. After that there was a constant chakra signal that reminded me of puppies.

I didn't dream, if I did it was the illusion I had been under. I don't understand why I wasn't waking up, but eventually I did. My eyes were just suddenly open. I heard the ticking of a clock, which made me want to kill someone, and I felt the scratchy hospital linen, which made me miss my bed, which made me angry and sad at the same time. There was no one else in the room, but I could feel faint chakra signatures in the hallway. I actually felt my guards chakra signal, and it wasn't hard to figure out where he was in the ceiling. I thought I might know who it was, but I couldn't think of the name. Everything was fuzzy, except my vision, which seemed oddly clear and focused. I didn't have a hard time just laying there, but as soon as I tried to get up my body protested.

It felt like someone had replaced my blood with poison, and I figured that was just an after effect of the genjutsu. I finally managed to sit up when a nurse walked in. She seemed very shocked to see me even awake. Apparently I had been out for a while.

"Medic-san, where is my brother?" My voice held nothing, because I didn't feel anything. The poison in my veins had become ice, it wasn't as bad and I could manage it. I carefully reached over to the IV in my arm and removed the needle. It didn't bleed, it was just there. Like I was. Someone who shouldn't exist, and someone who should probably not even be awake.

I didn't hear what the medic said, but I stood up anyway, despite whatever pain wasn't registering in my mind. I walked into the hallway, the medic followed me hesitantly, waiting for me to collapse, which didn't happen, and finally led the way down the hall. She walked into a room, and I felt a chakra that reminded me of cuddles and love and training. I started to feel cold, and I felt the pain of not moving around and whatever muscular dystrophy there was to feel. I saw Sasuke-kun in his bed, and he also looked cold and sad and I crawled into his bed. By now the medic didn't seem too surprised at my antics, and just let us be.

 _Hey! So I'm okay with how I fixed this, I'm pretty sure there aren't any issues with it. I might still be using honorifics wrong, but I'm going to stick to -kun and -chan for a bit. I can handle those. This chapter was slightly different, some stuff with Mirai and her mother bothered me, along with the scene after her nightmare, but I'm satisfied with it now. I guess I'll start fixing the next chapter, not tired anyway!_

 _3 K-_


	5. Normal no longer exists does it?

**Normal no longer exists does it?**

There was no reason for us to be okay. Sasuke didn't pretend to be okay, and I don't remember much of the first few days after being discharged. I know we were still living in our house, where Mother and Father's chakra had puttered out, when Sasuke-kun and I became alone. I knew I shouldn't be mad at my brother, in the back of my head part of me kept trying to remind me that, but it started to happen slowly.

Sasuke-kun pretty much only talked to me. We were both brought in front of Hokage-sama, and he explained to us in long boring words that the event that just occurred was very tragic, and that the village would try to support us. Since we were the last two Uchiha, we assumed the money of all those who died. It made sense, and it ensured that we could live off of it for a while, even if we never became ninjas.

As I stood in front of the Hokage, I knew who I could be angry at. He was the man who couldn't fix the issues, he was the one who let Danzo have so much power. At the same time, he seemed very sad. Being torn between family, and knowing what had happened had reasons I couldn't see, started to tear me apart slowly.

Sasuke-kun was reserved. He looked to me to know how to act, and I did my best to seem okay. I told Sasuke-kun on several occasions that I knew Itachi-nii-san had his reasons, and I knew he wasn't alone in doing it. I don't recall exactly what Sasuke-kun was forced to see while he was under, but I knew it was enough.

We didn't go back to school right away. Sasuke-kun and I didn't have to clean our house, it was already done, but I moved stuff around and put stuff away so that we could live their easier. Sasuke-kun looked sad that I did it, but since I also set up a shrine in what used to be the office, he didn't throw a fit.

We each had our own room now. I took Itachi-nii-san's room, because I knew Sasuke-kun wouldn't be able to. That's why when I went through the stuff in the room, I made sure to put it all in boxes and not actually look. I knew I wouldn't be okay if I saw my name or Sasuke-kun's name somewhere, in his handwriting. I wouldn't be okay. At all.

When we did finally start school, people kept their distance. The news didn't really leave the Hokage, about what exactly happened, but everyone knew we were the last two. Naruto-kun himself was scared to actually some talk to us, but I went to him first. I took him under a tree that we normally ate under, and explained to him what happened.

"H-how are you both alive? If Itachi-nii killed the whole clan-" Naruto-kun was confused. I expected him to be.

"Naruto-kun, I don't think it was just him. Itachi-nii-san was forced to kill the clan. I know he was. There was a man I didn't know in my head, and I kicked him out and I know he didn't have a choice. You have to help me with Sasuke-kun. He needs friends." By the time I explained what happened, Naruto-kun looked very determined. I knew he would be on my side, and now we could keep Sasuke-kun afloat.

I don't know who referred us to see therapists, but it was smart. We were separated from each other, obvious reasons, and I got the same person I had before. Yamanaka-san knew not to dive into my head without my permission this time, and he was hesitant to do so.

"Yamanaka-san, if you enter my head, I can show you exactly what happened." I wanted him to believe me, because if I could get it out there that there are people in the shadows, doing things no one can see and killing people who just seem to disappear. Yamanaka-san reluctantly agreed.

He appeared in my mind palace again, and this time it seemed organized, and I easily showed him my memories. The entire night, start to finish, the blood, the man in my backyard who wasn't my brother andtriedtogetintomyheadandwantedtokillme and I stopped it before Itachi-nii-san used Tsukuyomi on me. My palace dissolved around me, and we were back in the office.

Yamanaka-san looked disturbed, everyone thought Madara was dead, and in my memory it was either Tobi or Madara, both of which are very bad.

"I'm glad to see you are coping. While that memory as you call it shows another person, it could have just been your brother using a clone to confuse you." I could feel the anger well up in my chest, the first strong emotion I had felt in a long, long time it seemed. I didn't have to say anything, and I didn't. I glared at him, my eyes locked into place and I realized what it was.

Sharingan. Itachi-nii-san helped me unlock it, either that or Madara-Tobi did. I turned away from Yamanaka-san and left the room.

"I'm concerned for Mirai-chan Hokage-sama. I tried to convince her that it was just her brother using a clone, but she's very convinced it was someone helping him." Yamanaka-san tried to stay professional, because when the girl had shown him the memory, he understood why. "She has a very good chakra sense, and it didn't match what she associates with her older brother."

Hokage-sama sighed. "I'll be sure to keep an eye on her. If I see anyone suspicious around her, I'll have someone interfere. How do you know for sure Yamanaka-san?"

Yamanaka-san swallowed thickly. "She has the ability to show me her memories when I try to go into her memories. She seems to have developed a way to organize her mind. That's partially my fault, but I believe she is managing it well. "

"I believe she and her brother need to stay together. They both still get along with Naruto-kun, and if they get separated they might fall apart, and be unable to function. Later on… I think they can keep going." Hokaga-sama was thinking deeply, the two could probably be together… For now at least.

And that's what happened.

Sasuke-kun and I weren't out for too long, not as long as what I remembered, or thought I remembered at least. The Hokage gave us time to mourn. Other families, mostly notable clans, would drop off food. That meant I didn't have to leave the house, and Sasuke-kun and I got through our own issues without others watching.

I didn't expect time to go quickly. I spent most of my time training, and I started to use weights to get faster. As a Uchiha, I already seemed to have a natural speed, but if I didn't work on it, I wouldn't get better. It wasn't really easy, and I was reminded of Basic Army Training, because this was all much more relaxed. I could be fat, but be able to complete a mission and still be a ninja. There was no reason to not be fit, since this body was so much better than the one I had before.

I ran in the morning, after stretching, and it woke me up enough to actually want to go to school. I practiced taijutsu at school and after school with Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun. Ninjutsu was more at night when I couldn't sleep and I got scared that I wouldn't be strong enough one day.

Eventually Sasuke-kun and I had a birthday.

We didn't leave the house, it was a Sunday and we didn't have to go to school, and even if we had the teachers would have understood. I had gotten Sasuke-kun a set of kunai, seeing as we were running out of ones that were sharp enough. He got me a necklace, engraved with our clan crest.

"Sasuke-kun, promise me you'll help me find Itachi-nii-san and find out the truth." I needed to get him to understand this. "I know he wasn't alone, and I knew he didn't actually do it to get stronger." Sasuke-kun looked upset.

"Why do you keep defending him? He killed the clan! He left us alone! We have no one now and I know you hurt just as much as I do!"

I stared at my twin sadly. "Yes, I know he says he killed the clan. But he wasn't alone. I know he wasn't. There had to be a reason, because he didn't do anything without a reason. We need to be strong enough to defend each other, and Naruto-kun too, because he is just as much of a brother. Family doesn't end in blood. It can be defined by who stands by you during stuff like this. Please Sasuke-kun…"

I don't know how much my words changed his mind, but I hoped it did something.

Naruto-kun was getting strong with us, but he was still having a hard time academically. It didn't seem like there was much I could do though, because whenever I tried to help him study Sasuke-kun would want to train, and Naruto-kun would agree and go outside to train.

He was no longer at the very bottom thank god, but he wasn't the best. Naruto-kun had a birthday, and I made him a cake. Evidently cakes here weren't much of a thing, but I remembered a basic recipe, and to people who had never had it, it was good. I gave him some new clothes, and some new kunai. He didn't get many gifts, and I knew if he didn't get clothing as a gift he might decide to wear a lot of orange again.

I had a feeling though, that my existence and my interruption into Naruto-kun's life would change enough, but I didn't want him to be alone. He was still bullied by other stupid kids, although as soon as Sasuke-kun or I appeared they scattered like the vermin they were.

Then I had an Idea.

Convincing Naruto-kun to move in was fairly easy, Sasuke-kun and I helped move his stuff after it was boxed by Naruto-kun himself, frantically trying to get out of his hell hole. I tried to convince him that he didn't need to rush so quickly, but he really wanted to be out of his apartment, and it felt like moments later he was inside our house. Since the furniture was moved, it seemed like there was a different light, a different spirit, in the house. Sasuke-kun was happy with how it looked, but he was confused as to why I locked the other bedrooms.

I wasn't sure how to explain that their rooms seemed like it should stay their stuff for a little bit, but since we didn't even have anything to do with the rooms, Sasuke-kun eventually just nodded his head and ran off to help Naruto-kun. I myself figured I should start cooking, and realized we didn't have much food to eat. I grabbed my coin pouch, which was full to the brim since I stopped by the finance place that all of Uchiha clan funds are being held. I shouted that I was going grocery shopping, and I think there might have been joyful yells down the hallway but I wasn't sure.

I hadn't left the house without my brother except when it was the middle of the night and he wasn't up yet, so being around people, people who knew who I was and who knew what had happened, and I knew were judging me, a familiar sensation started building in my chest. It hadn't been much of a problem in this world. I used to get anxious over any little thing before, I even took medicine, but I knew here I wouldn't be able to get the same treatment and still train to be a ninja. So I closed off the walls of my head, and focused on the chakra signatures around me instead. Maybe that's why I found myself walking into what seemed to be a brick wall and falling to the ground unceremoniously. I looked up and was surprised to see Iruka-sensei looking at me with what seemed to be genuine happiness.

"Iruka-sensei! I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going, I'm in a bit of a rush I need to get food for dinner for Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun-"

Iruka-sensei cut me off by giving me a large, slightly painful, hug. "Don't worry about it Mirai-chan. I'm glad to know you and your brother and back and at it. Take a few days to get settled, and please help Naruto-kun. He was doing well before, and then you two were in the hospital and well, his grades dropped quite a bit. He lost more weight as well. Keep a keen eye on him Mirai-chan." Iruka-sensei was smiling, both eyes closed as he ruffled my hair, then walked off. That was when I realized my hair was a little too long for my own liking, and since I was already out, well, why not?

I returned a couple hours later with enough food to hopefully last a week, but knowing the metabolisms of Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun, I would be returning for more food in a few days. I started putting things away, there was a lot of vegetables and meats, a few spices I didn't know if we had, when Sasuke-kun came running into the kitchen, only to turn on his brakes very quickly.

"Onee-chan! What did you do to your hair?!" Sasuke-kun's eyes were wide, and he looked genuinely scared of me for a few seconds.

I looked up at the ceiling as if I was deep in thought. "Well Otouto, our Anbu guard seemed like a good character, and he's strong, and I want to be strong, so I figured I could try to do something that would let everyone know that I'm not the same anymore. I'm going to get better and stronger," I paused and made eye contact before continuing, "And I'm going to find out who told Itachi-san to do what he did. Because I don't believe it was him that killed the whole clan."

It almost seemed like I punched him in the gut, but then he had a massive grin, and went running off to where Naruto-kun must be, and then the two of them were outside doing kami knows what. It looked like a spar, but since neither of them knew many jutsu's it was just taijutsu, and since Sasuke-kun had more experience with the Uchiha style, I could easily tell who was winning.

The first few days of all three of us living in one house didn't result in us burning down the house, so it went fairly well. The boys did indeed eat through all of the food by the time we went back to school, but I was able to make decent bentos and I vowed to shop next time like I was going to be feeding an army. Going back to school wasn't a problem, we left early enough that there weren't a ton of people on the street to stare at us as we walked by. It was once we were in the classroom, Naruto-kun and I both flanking Sasuke-kun, and people started walking in, and I could hear their whispers because well, kids aren't stealthy or quiet when they think they are.

Everyone knew what happened, in a way at least, and they were all surprised to see that we were back in class. I knew Iruka-sensei would give Sasuke-kun and I some time to catch up on the assignments and tests we missed, either that or they might waiver them, because genocide of a clan is kind of a good excuse to miss a week or two of school.

I was more worried that Sasuke-kun would lose it when people started coming up to him and asking him questions, but he said what I told him that morning before we left. Neither of us remember much, we just woke up in the hospital and have been dealing with it since then. I knew Sasuke-kun had been put in a genjutsu, but he refused to talk to me about, which I didn't blame him for. It was then that I vividly recalled looking into Tobi's eyes, and I felt my blood turn to ice.

There was a serious threat out there, one that not even Sasuke-kun knew about, and we were too weak to do anything. I wasn't supposed to be here, not with the knowledge I have. Sure, a lot of it had started to fade, but I knew it was all in my head, and I knew I could go there to try and refresh it.

When Iruka-sensei walked in, he came over to let me and Sasuke-kun know that we wouldn't have to make up what we missed, and it wouldn't go against our grades. And since we were both the top of the class, we would have gotten top marks anyway. He started class, and I realized with desperation that all of the material is still the same stuff we went over before.

I needed to move forward, get stronger, do better, but when the schooling is like this, I couldn't figure out how I would catch up. Iruka-sensei didn't let us go against the other students when we did sparring in the afternoon, and I was glad, because my body wasn't the same. I wasn't weak, but it hadn't been used much in the way it should have been used. Sasuke-kun worked on his aim, and I alternated between upper and lower body workouts, running, anything that kept me moving, because I discovered that doing this, training, made it easier to think.

I didn't expect to get better as quickly as I did, but since I spent all of my free time training now, unless I was cooking, I did work quite a bit. I did the house things that needed to get done at night, because I found it hard to sleep anyway. I was having nightmares, and I knew Sasuke-kun was too, but he asked me for tea every night and it seemed to help. What I didn't expect was Naruto-kun to do the same thing, and it almost became a ritual for them. I would be cleaning or doing laundry, and they would drink their tea and go to bed. Then I would go to my room, and study. I don't mean the material that is a joke from the academy, I mean books I got from the Uchiha library, books with genjutsu theory and chakra theories, even books with nothing but jutsu. Eventually I found the history books that had to do with the Sharingan, and I started to draw maps and charts of where what came from where, and why our clan was how it was. There were nights where I wouldn't even sleep, and I would just drink coffee when the boys got up and make it through the day. I would still train like nothing could stop me, because at this point my drive was my loved ones in my house.

I remember how I felt when I woke up in the hospital, and I never wanted to experience that again. I didn't want Sasuke-kun to deal with it, and Naruto-kun needed to be sheltered and molded into an amazing ninja. Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun also both made more friends. Since Naruto-kun wasn't as annoying as he had been, and his grades were up, Kiba-san helped Naruto-kun when he needed to practice sparring with someone who wasn't top of the class, and Hinata-chan did what she could to help him with chakra control.

Which actually left me alone, trying to get stronger and stronger, and I was getting better. I slowly started have better endurance than the boys, and then my chakra reserve started to grow as if it knew how desperate I was. Iruka-sensei stopped me from leaving the classroom after school one day though.

I knew he looked concerned, but I didn't know why, not until he started talking. "Mirai-chan, I'm worried that your skill set is already past what the academy can help train. I'm going-"

I cut in before he could continue, "No! I need to stay with my brother Iruka-sensei, he's all I have left, and I'm just trying to get stronger so I can keep him safe. Don't make me graduate. I need to keep him safe." I was starting to feel the fear in my chest again, and I knew that despite what I said, I would probably not being going to the academy much longer.

Iruka-sensei sighed, and then continued. "I know you want to stay with your brother, but I've talked to Hokage-sama about it, and we have come up with a solution. We can have you graduate when the next class, a few years older than you, and you can be given guidance from a specialized ninja who has actually taken an interest in your household." Iruka-sensei's expression was hopeful, he wanted me to go forward with this, and he wanted me to get stronger. I kind of agreed with him when I thought about it.

If I decided to stay in the class, I would likely mess up the dynamic that would eventually be squad seven, and it would continue to drag me down. I already knew all the material they were trying to teach me, and I had a feeling my taijutsu was levels above most of the other students. Iruka-sensei had told me a couple weeks before that I would be practicing on my own, and I hadn't thought about why he said that until now. I was actually becoming on a different level. Sure Sasuke-kun was on a different level, but he didn't have the knowledge base that I did. He was still a child, and thanks to my influence he was coping with all of his stress much better than he would have. If I wanted to move forward and be strong enough to keep my loved ones from being hurt, I would need to do this, step up and make the sacrifice.

I nodded. "Iruka-sensei, I think it is a good idea. My main worry though, what if I get sent on a mission and I'm not here to take care of them? The boys don't really know how to cook. Or do laundry. Or clean really. I'm kind of their mother..." I trailed off with a frown, but Iruka-sensei seemed satisfied with my answer. He let me leave, assuring me that he would talk to Hokage-sama about it, and it would be dealt with, and that I shouldn't worry about it.

I had a very strong feeling that I knew who I would get stuck with, and it terrified me. He has enough of a reputation of getting those around him killed, but with how strong he is, it would be worth it if I would be stronger, even if I could keep an eye on my siblings when they got on their rookie team. I went straight to the training grounds on the Uchiha compound, and got started. If I was going to be an apprentice of someone, I had to step up my game.

You never know where you could end up in the ninja world.

 _Yo-! So half of this chapter isn't even what was posted, but I like this way,, way better. So yeah, I hope you like it, I'm fixing it as fast as I can and mostly I just want you guys to be able to read something I'm proud of. I also just want to say, like, Naruto in and of itself is inspiring. I could easily get on a soap box about how the show led me to make decisions I wouldn't have, but eh, maybe I'll rant in another chapter?_

 _Going through all of this again is making me nostalgic._

 _Hem. Drink water friends, it really does make a difference of how well you feel._

 _Anyway, be safe and be happy, I'll keep fixing it up, and see you in the next chapter!_

 _3 K-_


	6. Graduation

**Graduating**

There was no reason for everyone in the Uchiha household to be awake at the ungodly hour they were, except for the fact that the three were celebrating Mirai-chan's graduation from the academy. Both boys were very sad about their mother figure moving on, but they both knew it would be good for all of them. Mirai-chan would learn better techniques, more jutsu's, and get actual experience in the field, and she could help out her brothers when she was home. Mirai-chan did consider both Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun her siblings, not just because they lived in the same house, but because they were always there for each other and they each knew each other very well.

The three had decided to buy as much ice cream as they possibly could, and eat it while watching the stars above them. Mirai-chan vaguely recalled that there were lions and scorpions in her old skies, but the skies here were very different. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun were arguing over faces they saw, the occasional animal even, and it made Mirai-chan's heart warm. She was able to bring two people together who would otherwise have grown to hate each other. Naruto-kun wasn't alone now, and Sasuke-kun seemed like he might be okay, and he might help protect Konoha.

Mirai-chan was determined to start getting better at everything. Just because she was getting graduated early didn't mean she was great, she really couldn't see herself like that, because she had an unfair advantage, and she could get herself killed very easily here. Unease stirred in her gut, because she knew that she could likely end up facing monsters that could squish her with a thought. Right now she might feel safe, but she already knew what it was like to be near a monster. Whether or not it was Tobi or Madara that she faced, that had invaded her mind, she knew that person was out there, and she couldn't do a thing to stop him. Even if she put all her might into it, she still might not be good enough, but she had to try.

I was told to be at the academy with all the other people who just graduated. Likely I would be waiting with them, and they wouldn't tell me who my new Sensei was until he was maybe three or four hours late. I planned to be sitting around for awhile.

Since graduating is a bit of a big deal, I decided to go ahead and get new clothing, something that was less likely to cause attention. I had dark blue cargo pants, standard ninja boots as shoes, and a close fitting jacket with plenty of pockets and places to put things. It was also a dark blue, and the ensemble made my bleached hair stand out quite a bit. But considering how I figured I would be hanging out with a man whose hair defied gravity, I didn't think he would mind. I had bought a mask, it would be pretty funny if I wore one considering who it was that I might be assigned to, but I just kept it in my pocket.

I also had a bag that had several scrolls I could read, enough food to last me the day, even if Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun found me during lunch, and coffee. I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, mostly because I was nervous and I was fighting off an anxiety attack the whole time.

The people I graduated with were very wary of me. I made the class odd, and there was only enough seats for how many of them there were, so I decided to sit against the wall at the front of the room. The sensei of this class wasn't Iruka-sensei, it was Mizuki-baka, and I made it clear to him that I didn't like him. He graded me for my exams to graduate, and he very much did his best to get me to fail. I still had the highest scores in everything, including taijutsu. I knew he was salty as hell, and I figured I could use that against him. I wasn't his student, and I really didn't need to listen to him. I was just waiting for my new shishou.

He didn't even get to class on time when it started, and I just sat there and read my scroll. It had basic medical techniques, and I thought I should start getting familiar with them, because they could be helpful down the line. I realized a few minutes later that Mizuki-baka still wasn't in the room, and I noticed a few of the females of the class bickering and looking at me. They didn't seem happy.

"She isn't even five feet tall and she thinks she's better than us? Stupid bitch." I closed my eyes and tried to calm the anger building in my chest. I knew one thing that would silence them awfully quick. I had noticed that my change of hair color had people not realizing I was a Uchiha, and since I wasn't wearing the emblem anymore, they had no clue.

The females were sitting across the room in the back corner, right near a wall. I had gotten much better at my aim. I slipped a senbon from a pocket on the inside of my jacket, and mere seconds later it was embedded in the top of the females blouse, and in the wall. I felt the chakra go to my eyes from anger, and made sure to make direct eye contact. The female had bland eyes, like muddy seawater, and it looked like she was going to break down in tears.

I had gotten fairly good with my chakra control, so I pulled on the faint chakra string connected to the senbon and caught it, then put it back in its respective pocket. By then the room had gone dead silent, and the females that were talking crap all seemed like they were fighting mental breakdowns. I turned back to my scroll and ignored them all.

Mizuki-baka walked into the classroom twenty minutes late, and simply read my scroll and ignored him. I didn't hear my name said until the end. He was looking down at me like I was trash, and he let me know that my instructor would eventually arrive. Probably after lunch. I decided to get up and go wait in the hallway outside the classroom.

I got to see the other senseis come and go, leaving with their students, new genin, all of them still too innocent and still children. I was right when I thought I'd be waiting there for a while, because lunch time came and went, and I stayed there, ate my bento and sadly drank the last few sips of my coffee. Only when Mizuki-baka finally left the classroom did I go back inside the classroom.

I put my stuff on one the concrete slabs, and started to do my basic stretches. I normally trained during lunch, and sitting around for hours caused my muscles to get tight. This allowed me to clear my head, and I was able to briefly go through my mind palace to see if there was anything I was missing about what might happen in the next few years. Sure I changed things, but it shouldn't be too much of a shock to the plot. Then I started looking at fighting techniques I remembered from before, but they weren't easy to practice inside.

I was so focused that when I opened my eyes and my chakra sense returned, the sudden lightning strike behind me made me jump and turn a little too quickly. The floors in the academy are all waxed, and this floor just so happened to be a bit more slippery than what I was used to, and I found myself suddenly on the floor in front of my new shishou.

I jumped up and immediately stammered, "S-sensei, I apologize, I was focused and didn't notice you, and the floors in here are slippery and-" The silver haired ninja in front of me held up a finger.

"Meet me on the roof Mirai-chan." He gave me a close eyed smile, and poofed into smoke. Which meant he was being lazy and he was already up there. Lazy jerk.

I didn't walk up the stairs, instead I scaled up the wall like a ninja, and leisurely took my time getting up there. I wasn't always able to focus well enough to do this, but I had gotten quite a bit better. I jumped up onto the roof, and unsurprisingly, the silver haired jounin didn't seem surprised. He turned and looked at me lazily, then seemed to look at my hair.

"It suits you Mirai-chan. It will confuse the enemy, and hey, maybe they'll think you're some normal kid." I knew he was joking, and I couldn't help rising an eyebrow at him.

"Is there a reason we are up here Sensei? You didn't tell me your name, but I know you are Hatake Kakashi, son of the White Fang. I know you are highly skilled, and I'm confused as to why you are taking time off the mission roster to train someone so low as myself." My arms were crossed, and I was afraid he would give me a sap story about how he felt bad about what happened to my clan. I knew he wouldn't though.

The only eyebrow I could see furrowed down, and I supposed he was thinking hard. "I agreed to it because I could tell the academy wasn't doing anything for you. You are levels above your peers, and your drive is only matched by one other person I know." I briefly imagined putting on a green jumpsuit, just to give him a heart attack. "I know what happened to those you loved sucked, but I think you wanting to be strong enough to keep those you love that are still here safe is an honorable goal. Besides, there aren't many skilled jounin that can help you learn how to use your Sharingan." This time Kakashi-sensei gave me a close eyed smile, and I felt something tug at my heart.

That's the look he gives Team 7, the look that means he's proud and maybe even happy. I suddenly felt hollow inside, because I understood the pain he went through, and I knew he carried a massive burden. And I suppose I did too, since I knew so much, but there really wasn't anything I could do to fix it all until I was strong enough.

"Before we go any further though Mirai-chan, you need to introduce yourself to me. All I really know is your name and what your paperwork says about you." Kakashi-sensei was back to being serious, and I deflated a little.

"Well Kakashi-sensei, you already know my name, and what happened to my family. All I can say is that I like to train, to cook and to take care of the few family I have left. I don't like people who are lazy and don't give all they can to do their best. I don't like being around a lot of people, it makes me anxious. I want to be strong enough to keep my brother safe from the monsters that are still out there. I don't sleep much because I want to learn as much as I can. And I want to own a puppy."

Kakashi-sensei just stared at me, rather unable to respond. Then his head twitched slightly, and he looked over Konoha. "That's all good to know I guess. Well, first things first, I have to see if you can pass my test. Meet me at training ground 7 tomorrow morning at five. I suggest you don't eat because you might puke, but it's not like I can really stop you." Once again, when he was done talking, there was a large poof, and I sighed heavily. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

I ran home, and found that I had actually beat the boys home. I figured that since I didn't know what my next few days would be like, I should make food that the boys can just heat up. It didn't take long to make boxes upon boxes of bento for them. They might last a few days, so I also made a few rolls of sushi. I bought a cookbook, and thanks to that I was able to manage making decent food. It was nothing like mothers, but it was something. I started to just clean, because chances are the boys will just come home, eat, train, and sleep. They should remember to shower, but cleaning will not be on their list. Sometimes they stayed at the academy and trained with a sensei that could stay an extra hour, but never before had they not been home by sunset. I figured I should head out and make sure they were okay.

There were still people out, lanterns were lit and it was actually a beautiful night when I got out of the empty Uchiha district. It was in a far corner, isolated and alone. But I knew that a lot of civilians didn't even know what really went on, and I couldn't hate them. I eventually made it to the academy, but I couldn't sense anything going on inside. I closed my eyes and willed myself to feel them, i couldn't let them get hurt, not in the village and not when I can prevent it. Something ghosted over my senses, and I felt ice go down my spine. I couldn't feel them, but that feeling was familiar.

I didn't feel a hand pillaging through my memories, but I knew he was there, somewhere, and I didn't feel safe. I decided to run to a training ground that I knew thee boys used, and was relieved that when I got near it I could feel them. It didn't take long for me to be able to hear what they were saying. It seemed like they might be arguing, and when I could actually make out what they were saying.

"But Sasuke-baa, what if Onee-san does leave on a mission and die? What if she doesn't come back and what if we are both alone again?" It was Naruto-kun and he was sobbing from what I could tell. I was about to move forward, break cover and try to reassure him, but it turns out I didn't have to. Sasuke-kun spoke up first.

"Naruto-baa, don't worry about Onee-san. She's stronger than both of us and she won't leave us. She was here for both of us when we had no one right? If she ever gets in trouble I know she'll make it back home no matter what. She needs us just as much as we need her. She's a ninja now, but that just means we need to catch up. I don't know what happened to her that night, when we both lost everything, but she's different now. She isn't going to leave us." Sasuke-kun sounded so sure, and so confident about it. I felt my throat tighten with emotion, but I held it back, I didn't want them to know I was here, witnessing their moment. I didn't realize that they would get this close to each other. I'm glad they did yeah, because it's amazing how much of a difference it makes for a person to just exist at the right time.

 _Hey! Again, here I am, spamming those of you that subscribed to the story, adding on to Mirai Uchiha's story. I really hope you like it, review if you want to, but if you want to catch up with everything I've posted after this chapter I understand. I want this to be an awesome work._

 _Anyway, I love you guys, be safe, drink water!_

 _3 K-_


	7. Battle time!

**Battle Time**

I knew Kakashi-sensei would be late, and all that time that I had in the training ground, I knew I could use it to set up traps or recon to know the area better. I also didn't want to set him off in case he was trying to watch me from afar, so I used clones instead. I was already getting up early, I knew I would need to eat, even if I was told not to, and I needed a plan. I didn't know if Kakashi-sensei would just have me try to get a bell from him, or if we would spar. I wasn't here for teamwork, I was his apprentice to get stronger and protect the small family I have.

My only trump card was that Kakashi-sensei probably didn't know I had already unlocked my Sharingan. If there was a way to hide my eyes, so that I could catch him off guard, I would. But it would be very suspicious, and instead I wanted to freak him out a little bit. I had my own face mask, and instead of dark blue like his was, it was white. Sure blood would show very easily if I got it on my face, but it would look cooler with my hair. Which I actually wanted to get cut again. But that can happen later.

Right now I'm stretching in the clearing of the training ground, and a clone is carefully looking around to see where I can hide or set traps. And if a place is good, the clone will set a trap. My only other problem is that I don't have a huge arsenal of jutsu to use. I have the basic three from the academy, and the great fireball. Sure I can walk up trees and walls, but that won't help me much here.

Iruka-sensei had told me my taijutsu wasn't on a level that would let me learn at the academy, but it was actually just barely above genin. I was still pretty much nothing, but I had decent endurance and pain meant little to nothing to me.

It wasn't hot or anything yet, so the sweater I was wearing wasn't too bad. And my cargo pants with pockets galore allowed me to feel a nice breeze, and keep everything I needed on me. I stashed a bag with food nearby, just in case Kakashi-sensei tried to starve me out. You can never know with him.

I figured he would show up right around ten, and sure enough, that was when my new sensei poofed into the clearing. I had been done stretching for a while, and there were a few exploding tags in places I figured he might hide. I put my own chakra in them, so I would be able to sense if he was in range of them. It kind of gave me a mental map of the area. I decided that anything else might be too obvious, especially since he was a jounin. Sure he could also probably feel the tags, but he might not know what they were until it was too late. And even if he stays out of range, I could fight with my eyes closed this way.

"Jah- Sorry I'm late Mirai-chan, there was a black cat on the road I normally take here, so I had to take the long way." He was giving me a close eyed smile, and he knew I wasn't buying it.

"Uh-huh Kakashi-Sensei. This better be fun. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun wouldn't mind me being able to help them train right now." I stood up and crossed my arms. I still wasn't sure what game he wanted to play, and I needed to be spontaneous. Naruto-kun was able to catch him off guard, maybe I could too.

"Well you see Mirai-chan, I wasn't sure how to test you, but you gave me an idea yesterday. I know how much you care about your family, what little of it that hasn't been taken from you. So, I know the perfect way to make you show me your all today. Turn around Mirai-chan."

The pit that had slowly been building in my stomach was making me sick. I turned slowly, and when I saw snoring, dozing Naruto, and a peaceful sleeping Sasuke, both tied to the logs that I hadn't had my eyes on, it felt like ice went into my veins, and my anger started to build and grow in my chest. This wasn't like every other time.

This time my brothers were being held hostage like it was a game, like he thought he could just mold my emotions because he had the two things I hold most dearly. He thought this might just make me try harder, no, this makes me want to strip his skin off and then his muscles separately. I focused chakra to my eyes, and for a second the world was spinning, but then I knew I was able to see what was going to end up happening. I calmly centered myself, I would let the anger he was getting to rise out of me help me fight better. I turned, and didn't even wait for him to say anything, he should know that doing this kind of thing could make someone lose it.

Kakashi-sensei's only visible eye actually widened, and he tried to get distance between us, but I had decent stamina, and he seemed caught enough off guard that when he wandered near one of my explosive tags, I jumped back and made the seal to activate it. It wasn't a strong one, that one was under the ground near the tree.

Right, I could deal with copying seals. I had been a decent artist before, still was, and seals were fun. Sue me.

Kakashi-sensei flew forward from the force of the blast, which wasn't much, and he landed fine, but he obviously wasn't expecting an ambush. While he was distracted I made a clone, and it made itself small enough to run off towards the boys to let them free. Before Kakashi-sensei could try and make a move on me, I pulled out a kunai and jumped at him, he had one out to meet me, and I obviously got thrown off of him like a rag doll, but I landed well.

"Kakashi-sensei, if you ever put my family in danger you are going to face something you'll never want to revisit. I might be a child but I know things that would make yours knees weak, things that would make you remember his sacrifice."

I didn't have the full Sharingan, but I had two tomoe in each eye, I guess since facing Madara/Tobi and seeing my entire clan murdered and then had to relive it for forever, each time thinking it was my brother, that was all a traumatic enough experience.

The world was a beautiful array of color. I could see better than I ever remembered, and I knew where everything was around me, and I could feel every sensation that could lead to me winning his game. Kakashi-sensei narrowed his eyes, and took a step back. I started doing the hand seals for Great Fireball, and since I wanted him to get closer to the tree, I blew it straight at him, and as expected he jumped back enough to give it room.

I decided to be theatrical about it, instead of just forming the sign of the tag below him, I put both palms on the ground, and tried to connect to it that way. I didn't expect it to work, but after a few seconds I could feel where it was, only a little to the left of where Kakashi-sensei was standing, eyeing me warily. I could tell he wasn't about to move, so I sent a pulse of chakra towards my seal, and I didn't expect the ground to crack like it did, but since the explosive tag also went off, I would have to say it was a success.

I made sure to jump off of the ground, because the ground isn't always a safe place, and I sprinted towards where the boys were. I wasn't sure why my clone did, but it seemed like the boys were still here, but I had a strong sense not to touch them. Then I felt the chakra pulse coming from the log they were tied to, and I knew what my clone did.

I was about to start laughing until I felt a hand on the back of my sweater, and I was lifted off the ground, and ceremoniously dumped on the other side of Kakashi-sensei. He was glaring at me and he was angry, but he didn't know that I had actually won.

"You have no idea what the objective was! You weren't supposed to try and kill me you gaki- we were going to spar and if you did well enough I was going to release them and let them eat lunch, but now they've been asleep too long for the jutsu I put on them." His rant sort of rambled off and he seemed confused. So I held up my left hand in the genjutsu release sign, and released it.

There was a small poof from the log, and it turns out it was really just an empty log.

I faced Kakashi-sensei, and couldn't help myself. "Well sensei, since I was able to take your leverage from you while we were sparring, I would have to say I did well. And the boys are already eating. OY! Naruto-kun Sasuke-kun! Get over here to meet my sensei!" I could see the grass moving around and then a blonde head popped up. Then the blonde head was grinning, and was jumping out of the bush, dragging a raven haired companion.

Kakashi-sensei was glaring at me. He probably didn't like that I managed to get around his plan, or that I was able to distract him well enough to hide the boys, but also feed them and not get anyone hurt. I turned to Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun, who were both oogling Kakashi-sensei like he was a new celebrity.

"You two should go home and clean up. I know you have homework to do, and please actually do your chores today. That's why you guys should clean up after each other. Then there isn't a mess to clean." I ruffled both of their heads, Naruto-kun giggled and ran off, while Sasuke-kun grunted and hugged me tightly before following Naruto. I turned to Kakashi-sensei. He was no longer irritated or mad it seemed. What he must have just seen probably reminded him of his own memories.

"S-so Kakashi-sen-"

"Shishou. Call me Shishou, minarai. This could have gone better, but now I know you don't want to leave people behind, and that you can plan ahead, think on your feet. Our first order of business is going to be speed."He was giving me what he thought was a sweet smile, but I felt my gut churning. "If you are too fast for the enemy to hit you, you can hit them first."

Kakashi-sensei took me back into Konoha, down a few streets I had never seen, and suddenly there were better tools and weapons and clothing and shoes than I had ever seen. He wanted me to wear more protective gear, because I am supposed to go with him on missions soon, since he's one of the strongest ninja in Konoha. I would be there to learn what I can, even help if possible. He let me get my money from my house, and I decided to wear a half face mask, like my Shishou. Although mine was white, mostly to contrast from the fact that we had opposite hari colors- like ying and yang. He informed me that the outfit I was wearing was good for in village missions, but I needed different gear to actually go off with him on missions.

I needed clothing that fit well and wasn't baggy, because it would get caught on trees or enemy ninja could grab onto me easier. I needed under armour to take blows from hits, and the under armor also doubled as weights. I could gradually apply chakra to them, and I would get used to that amount, then add more, and so on. I got similar ones for my shins. Unlike Gai and Lee, I wore mine underneath my clothing, and used bandages to wrap the bottoms of my pants tighter.

I got more sneaker like shoes, flat on the bottom, dark blue. I didn't get a vest like upper ranks did, but I found a decent weight vest that pockets and gave some protection, and actually fits. The cargo pants I bought were much more durable, and the merchant who sold them to me told that that if I let the clothing absorb some of my chakra, it would be even stronger and much much less likely to tear. I got a bag that dwarfed backpacks in my old world. I needed to ask Kakashi-sensei about learning about scrolls for storage. Explosive tags were easy to find and copy, but storage seals were expensive and I didn't know what stores to go to for them.

The tools in this area were much better made, so I bought several new sets of kunai, shuriken, and senbon. I had fairly good aim, and in order to keep that I needed to keep practicing. I wanted to learn how to use a weapon, swords a blade, something that could give me an edge. I wandered around the weapon store, until i found the kodachis and katanas, all of which were beautiful, but they seemed too big for me. Then I saw a set of two matching swords, and I didn't know what they were called, but one was slightly longer than the other. The hilts were black and white, braided together, and the cases for the blades had black on the edges, and a bold stripe of white down the middle of both.I saw the price, and while it was quite a bit, a weapon like this could easily turn me into something to fear one day.

When I walked into the house, all dressed in my new ninja gear, along with the haircut I had been dying to get, I could hear Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun in one of their rooms, reading what must have been a history textbook. Sasuke-kun was actually reading it out loud for Naruto-kun, and from what I could hear, it seemed like Naruto-kun was enjoying it, and he would repeat something Sasuke-kun said, and from what I could tell, Sasuke-kun found out how to get Naruto-kun to study.

I trudged all my stuff to my room, and changed into a tshirt and shorts, and promptly tackled the two in hugs, then sat legs criss cross, and grabbed the book from Sasuke-kun. Sure I wasn't in class with them, and I already read the book, but if it's speaking it out and getting into it, that's one thing I can do to help them.

Eventually we got to the end of the chapter that they were supposed to read, and I led them both to the kitchen. I had a surprise for them, because I remembered a recipe from my old world. I didn't really see cookies around here like in my old world, and I thought if I could make them for them, it would make them happy.I pulled the plate that was just in there to keep the cookies warm, and set it on the counter. Both boys looked confused, but I picked one up and took a bite out of it. I had put as much chocolate as I thought the boys would be able to handle, and within an instant they were eating the cookies to bits. I left them with the plate, and went to my room and closed the door.

I was only a child here, and I felt like I was their parent. They are doing things kids do right now, not that they will be for long, but they are getting the chance. And I'm sitting alone in my room, trying to prepare myself for the fact that I'm going to see things that will give me nightmares for life. I'm trying to tell myself that I'm doing this for the family that has been made in where a family was taken, but it's hard. It's hard to know about what is going to happen, and know that I'm still not good enough and I might never be. I still had a couple of years to do better and try to get myself there, but I'm afraid I won't be able to. I need to stop moping like this, because that's not what heroes do. Sure not a hero that anyone is going to see, but I want to keep my village safe and I want to stop the monsters out there that I know of. And I have a mission to prepare for.

I wasn't supposed to see any combat on this mission, Kakashi-shishou told me there might be some and I was going to stay behind cover and out of sight. I knew with the level of opponents Shishou could take, I really didn't want to try and fight.

There were two rogue ninja harassing a local village, and Kakashi-shishou was hired to make them not be a problem anymore. I knew what that meant of course, I wasn't stupid, and I knew things could happen that could get me in danger. I was going to prepare like I already knew something bad was going to happen, and hopefully get out of it okay.

I knew I wouldn't be able to try and get out of it, because I was a ninja now, and as an apprentice I had to stay with my shishou, and I knew I was going to get even more attached to him.

I knew he would do his best to keep me from getting hurt, but also knew that he might do something that he thinks might help me get stronger, and I might not be good enough.

Traveling there is supposed to take a few days, and we might have to stay a couple days to complete the mission, then head back. It wasn't cold, so bringing a tent was useless. All I brought with me was a change of clothes, food and extra weapons. I didn't know if chakra pills were something I needed, but I bought some and had them in my bag as well.

It was my first time out of the village, and since I had never tree hopped before, it took me an hour or so before I got used to doing it. I knew Shishou was slowing himself way the hell down, and even though I was trying to go as fast as I could, my stamina was flagging by lunch time. We traveled like that for two days, camping in caves or dense cover. It felt weird to be out of the village with someone I didn't know well. I knew he was trying to teach me things, Shishou would show me how to cover our tracks or give me tips on tree hopping easier, and it was useful, but I felt like I was going into this fight with no firepower, and I didn't want to be useless and get in the way.

Kakashi-shishou actually noticed that I was on edge the second day of travel, and during or stop for lunch, he actually talked to me about it. I explained that I didn't feel like I would be able to help or that I was going to be useless, and he seemed to understand.

"Mirai-chan, you just graduated from the academy. The Hokage and I don't expect you to be able to fight. I was concerned that he wanted to send you with me on this mission, because I would normally be sent alone, and the mission would be done within a few days, but Hokage-sama wanted you in the field. I would suggest you don't look, but it's up to you. You live the life of a ninja now. You will also get to do things like this, because while you think you are weak, I can tell you aren't just going to give up. You have people to protect and a reason to get stronger. I don't know how I'm going to be able to help you besides show you things and have you come on missions with me, but I think you can handle this."

When Shishou put it that way, I didn't feel as bad about it, but I still didn't think I would be able to help. When we did finally get to where the rogue ninja were supposed to be hiding out, Kakashi-shishou couldn't find their tracks, and I could feel unease stirring in my gut. He looked at me, and I could tell he was frowning.

"Mirai-chan, you need to do everything I tell you. This mission has turned into an ambush."

 _Yo! Another chapter, and I changed a couple things. nothing big, same stuff happens it just seems a lot more likely to happen now. Man I had an odd way of imagining fights the first time I went through this. Just no, no._

 _Anyway, be safe and stay hydrated!_

 _3 K-_


	8. A dark day

**A Dark Day**

I could feel the tension as Kakashi-shishou said those words. If this was an ambush, there was a chance I would actually have to fight. The rogue ninjas were way above my level, and all I could really hope for was to run and stay out of the way.

Kakashi-shishou lowered his head, and in a barely audible whisper gave me my next order. "Mirai-chan, I'm going to head for the first rogue. I want you to stay out of the others range, and set whatever explosive tags you can to try and trap them. You can feel them correct?" I let myself feel out, I had been keeping my chakra coiled up, and immediately I could feel something very wrong. It wasn't that I could sense the people we were here to kill, I could sense areas where there was a lack of chakra. Like something in that spot was absorbing it.

"S-shishou, I think they have the ability to absorb the dormant chakra around them. I don't feel them but I can feel the absence of chakra in two areas. Twelve o'clock and three o'clock." Shishou furrowed the eyebrow I could see, and I heard him sigh. He nodded at me and headed to the twelve o'clock. I crouched down on the tree branch I was on and quickly pulled the explosive notes I had on me out of my bag.

Since I could at least feel the general location of whoever it was, I could keep a safe distance from them and set tags that go off by proximity. I would also be able to sense where the tags were, since they would have my chakra in them, and based off where the enemy was compared to them, I could in a way sense where to stay away from.

I knew Shishou was fighting, I could feel the flare of chakra, and I made my way closer, leaving tags on the underside of tree limbs. I could tell the person wasn't moving, but abruptly I felt chakra building in the air near me. I threw myself away from it, and I was barely in time. The blast from whatever it was wouldn't have killed me, but I would have been stunned and confused for sure.

I could no longer tell where the rogue was.

Since this was my first mission, and I suddenly could see memories of why I needed to live, I don't know if I felt anger or hate in my chest, but it built up in what felt like seconds. I already lost so much, and I wasn't going to let this bastard get in my way. Sure I was a genin and didn't really have any skills, but I had at least one tool I could use to anticipate what was going to happen.

As if my anger awakened it, I see the minor details of the leaves, and it was like there was a fog around me, and then I realized it was chakra. It was like a faint mist of color around me, and I could actually see some of it starting to clump up, and I could feel the pressure from it. If this was the only way the enemy was going to attack, I should be able to easily dodge and move out of the way.

I could still sense where the person was, so I kept trying to get closer. It'd be nice to see who I was facing, to know if I could use taijutsu or plan other ways to immobilize the target. I was probably about 300 meters away when the person started screaming. It wasn't really intelligible, but they seemed angry. I perched myself on a tree where I could see them.

I was expecting a brute, and this definitely was one. Taijutsu wasn't going to be an option if I had to fight him, and hopefully it wouldn't even come to that. He was looking my way, so I knew he could tell where I was. The chakra around me was getting pressurized, like the other times, and I got the hell out of the way and put a tree between myself and the brute.

I knew he could use the chakra around him, and that meant that he could attack me where ever he wanted to. I didn't think it had anything to do with sight either, because he was attacking me before I saw him.

However, due to his massive size I knew I would likely be faster than him. I wasn't Kakashi-shishou fast, but it was something. My best hope would be to keep setting traps around him so he can't leave the area, and wait for Shishou to take care of him.

I was able to keep setting traps for several minutes, the explosions he tried to use on me missed each time, I only stopped long enough to place a tag on a branch. I was getting closer and closer to him, and it took me a few minutes to realize he wasn't trying to actively kill me. There were only a few trees between the two of us, and he was staring up at the sky with a massive grin. I could smell his delirium from where I was.

"Little boy, you think you are fighting for good people. I see your hitate, you are leaf ninja, but you are also a child. You don't realize that what they fight for is the oppression of those who don't agree with them. That's why they want us dead." I could see his eyes in perfect detail, they were a strange purple, it seemed to move and shift like smoke.

"Oh but you have me all wrong Shinobi-san." I simultaneously released the chakra that was in my weights holding me down, it wasn't much but I was able to pretty much fly forward, and I drew out my smaller sword, and actually managed to cut the shinobi across the cheek and land on a tree on the other side of the clearing. I tapped my chest and reapplied my chakra, it helped me weigh a little bit more. I continued talking.

"First of all, I'm not a little girl. Second of all, we were sent to take care of you because you have been harassing nearby villages who have no ninja to protect them, you have been stealing their produce and killing their animals, which they need to live. My village doesn't oppress them, we give them a chance to live their lives in peace and be happy. If you get in the way of that, then of course we don't agree with you and we will keep you from being in the way."

I knew he wouldn't change his mind, the two rogue ninja had been attacking villages and pillaging them for a while. I wanted to try and guy time because I really didn't think I would be able to do it. I hadn't killed anyone, I've barely been a genin and I don't even think I know how to kill someone yet.

 **The blade can go through his throat-**

My eyes widened and fear mixed with adrenalin made me dizzy, why would I think that, why would I know that? Yeah attacking his throat would kill him but- **If you stab him in the chest he will stop moving. Then remove his head.**

My knees gave out beneath me. I don't know what it is that's happening, but now isn't a good time to resist the urges. Maybe it's a primal part of me that will help me not die? Either way, it might work.

I pulled my mask higher up on my face, it had slipped if I could stay anonymous I would prefer to. I removed the weight again from my body armour, I needed to be fast and not hesitate and not get scared.

I had one goal, eliminate the man trying to kill me, get home safe, and get stronger. I felt my chakra swirl through my body faster, and I knew I needed to move and get it over with. Kakashi-shishou was still fighting the other rogue, and this guy didn't seem like he was content with staying in one area for too much longer. I needed to eliminate him before he revealed that he could like, explode or something.

Instead of running into the small clearing, I walked out, both of my swords in their sheaths. My sharingan was still active, only one tomoe each, but it helped. I saw his right arm tense just before he began running towards me, so I dove down to my left while pulling a kunai out of my ankle pocket, and slashed at his side. I jumped up and landed a few feet from him. I only cut through his clothing, but he was enraged enough about me having gotten close enough to try and cut him

He started yelling, probably full of anger and wanting to get back at me. If he was angry then he would hit harder, but he would make worse decisions and possibly leave an opening. When he ran at me again, I didn't try to hit or stab him, I just dodged low and out of the way. This seemed to be a dance for what seemed like minutes but probably was only thirty seconds. His face was bright red and he was sweating from his exertion.

 **Now.**

Before I even registered that I had the urge to run forward, I was there. It was as if my body was moving on its own, and I don't remember drawing my swords, but the longer one ended up in his gut, and he was on the ground and not moving when I watched my left arm drive the smaller blade through his neck and into the dirt.

I knew Shishou was still fighting, but I couldn't move and I didn't know what to do. Eventually I removed my swords and cleaned them with a scrap of the man's clothing he wasn't using it anymore that's for sure and I figured I shouldn't leave explosive tags around to just go off. I don't remember leaving the body to go get them, so maybe I made a clone, and maybe this could all turn out to be a dream?

I must have been staring into space for an eternity, because by the time Kakashi-shishou found me it was dark. My sharingan wasn't activated, and I knew my chakra was very low. I didn't use jutsu, mostly because I knew my chakra would be used with my sharingan. It was dark and I knew I had the rogue's blood on me, but I couldn't see anything and I couldn't feel anything.

When Shishou saw me, he started to panic. He patted me down to check me for injuries, and it turns out I didn't get injured at all. He checked my pulse, which must have alarmed him, because he started opening my eyes and I assumed he was looking at my pupils. I tried to shake my head at him, tell him I was okay, but he just picked me and started running.

The mission wasn't supposed to become an ambush, rogue nin hunting for the bounty on my head. It was supposed to allow Mirai-chan to see what being a ninja really is, otherwise she will be weak and not make it. The Hokage agreed that it would be good for her to see what it was like out here, where you didn't have walls to keep you safe and people would kill you.

Thankfully I cornered the rogue who seemed to be in charge, but she was slippery. The two were siblings, and had a kekkei genkai that had to do with the ambient chakra in the air. She alluded to wanting to kill me for my bounty because of how Konoha nin killed her family when she was little. She didn't realize I was going to bring a little boy with me, and she assured me that her brother would make his ending easy.

When I was finally done and I had disposed of her body, I couldn't feel Mirai-chan's chakra. I didn't hear anyone yelling, but I did smell blood. I sprinted towards it, flashes of when Obito and Rin, who both died because of my failure, and I damned myself to hell for dragging another promising person, someone that people loved, especially two people who were already alone and without family.

Saying I was surprised when I sprinted into the clearing and saw her sitting up with her legs straight out, staring at the sky. I couldn't tell if she was physically injured, but I knew that mentally she wasn't there. I checked her for wounds, and she just let it happen. When I tried to see if her pupils were reactive she tried to shake her head, and I knew she wasn't seeing reality. Whatever she had done, the method she used to kill him, must have broken her just a little bit. I needed to get her back to Konoha, and soon.

I wasn't dreaming, I was kind of in a blank space, and I fought out of it. I didn't wake up, I was in my mind palace and it was a mess. I was there as me, but I saw another version of me laying on the floor, blank eyes and no expression. I could actually see the reflection of what had just happened in my eyes. Was this the memory? Or was it me stuck thinking about it over and over again?

Thinking about how the angry chakra flooded my body and I didn't even hesitate to take a life? About how I shouldn't even be here, but I was getting the choice to end the lives of others. Other's lives I should never have even gotten involved in. I wanted to change things, make this world a better place, but did it really mean I had to choose my worthless self over others who actually belong here?

I ended up sitting next to myself, weird thing I know, just waiting for myself to wake up. Eventually my mind started to wander and was thinking about how Sasuke-kun and I are going to be ten soon, and then eleven and then he's going to graduate and then I'm going to have to do my best to always be with him and keep him safe.

The me that was repeating the event over and over again seemed to deteriorate next to me, and then I was fading. The memory was still in my head but I was no longer obsessing over it and I might be okay. I knew my eyes were glassy and I was still not feeling anything, but I knew that I eventually would. So I replaced the me that was there and stared at the ceiling, I stared until I woke up.

I did wake up, in a hospital of course, and I was actually alone. I wasn't hooked up to any IV's so I can't have been out for too long. Everything that had happened until now was fuzzy in my head, I could recall it if I wanted to but I almost wanted to just forget about it. I survived, I made it back and that's all I cared about.

I didn't sense anyone I recognized nearby, so I got up and figured I was okay to just leave. If they didn't want me to go they should have had someone nearby to tell me so. I was still dressed, my shoes were even on. The hallways were empty, but it was daytime and I thought it was odd that I wasn't seeing any nurses or medic nins walking around checking on people.

When I got outside, I knew the sun was warm and I should feel it and be happy, because I always liked basking in sunlight and not thinking, but I didn't feel anything. I wandered around Konoha, people were out and doing their daily things, but I didn't know what I was supposed to be doing. Eventually I found myself at training ground seven, and I decided to just lay in the grass near the log posts. There were clouds in the sky, and I would normally look for shapes but I just laid there.

I was empty inside, I knew I should feel things, emotions and I should have thoughts about what to do next, but all I wanted to do was lay in the grass and stare up at the sky. I could have been dead, but instead I'm able to stare at the sky, something I didn't realize I was taking for granted.

I didn't feel time pass, but when I noticed the sky was getting dark, I figured I should go home. The boys were probably worried as hell about me, especially if they knew I was in the hospital and were at the academy and couldn't see me.

When I got home, it was silent. I could sense the boys sitting together in the living room, and when I walked in they both looked up, and at first they were shocked, and then Naruto-kun started to cry. Sasuke-kun didn't cry, but he looked very relieved to see me. They both jumped towards me and hugged me, they didn't seem to want to let go.

"O-onee-san, I thought you were dead, I didn't know if I would ever see you again.." Naruto-kun seemed to be taking the brunt of it, probably because he didn't have family before Sasuke-kun and I started talking to him and being nice to him. Sasuke-kun just held onto me, I didn't need to hear him say it to know that he was scared.

"Hokage-sama came to the academy and told us you were in the hospital. And when we went to see you earlier they told us you left on your own and no one knew where you were… We were afraid you left us…" Naruto-kun seemed to be getting it together after he said that. "But now you're here and it's okay because you didn't actually leave us."

All I could do is pat his head, because the sudden emotion he was showing me had me shocked. Not because I didn't think he could, but because it was so strong and so intense, I didn't expect it from the two of them. I ended up helping the boys get to bed, they already were wearing their pyjamas, and all I did was tuck them in and tell them good night.

I knew more stuff like this would probably happen, I would have close calls and end up in the hospital, but I was going to be stronger then, so I could keep my new family from going there unless they had to.

 _This chapter makes me a little sad, I mean, death and killing, a great buzzkill for being hyper. Oh well, I'm heading to bed, but I hope anyone reading this right now likes it!_

 _3 K-_


	9. Monster Within

**Monster Within**

I stayed close to the group of civilians Shishou and I were escorting. They were going to a nearby village and they didn't feel safe traveling without protection. There shouldn't be any trouble, the civilians just wanted to be safe because they had money on them and they just bought new goods to sell in their village. They had a couple of wagons, one had their goods and the other had the civilians, they didn't like to walk.

Kakashi-shishou was around the front, we were circling around the wagons and keeping an eye on the forest around us. I didn't sense anything besides ambient chakra, it felt like a slight fog, but it was chakra. That's how it had been for the past few hours. We would reach their village by sundown, and then run back to Konoha. This wasn't a high profile mission, but it was a nice break from the breakneck pace Kakashi-shishou had me on the past year or so.

I felt something odd in the chakra suddenly, and I let out a low whistle, to let Shishou know that something might be up but I didn't know what. It was coming to the left of us, and it was like something chakra dense was hiding inside the forest. I slowly made my way to that side of the wagons, and started scanning the trees. I didn't see anything, but why would I? If there were ninja trying to ambush this group, they wouldn't show themselves right away. I sighed. So much for a relaxing mission.

Shishou was up ahead of me, also scanning the trees. He flicked his hand to the right, and I went back to the right of the wagons. We couldn't leave one side weak, in case they tried to blindside us.

It was over before it really started. They did come from the right, and Kakashi-shishou took one of them out by the time I jumped over the wagon, and I took out the other by forcing my long sword through his gut and up into his ribcage, maybe I could burst a lung this time. The blood poured over my hands, and I couldn't help the irritation come out in a sigh. I just cleaned these gloves from the last time they were soaking in blood, and it wasn't easy. Maybe I should just not wear gloves.

The civilians seemed startled and were suddenly scared, but seeing as none of them were in danger or even close to getting hurt, I didn't understand why. I pulled out a body scroll, Shishou showed me how to make them, and put the body of whoever it was that tried to attack the civilians in it. This could get us more money on the mission, and money was always a good thing.

Kakashi-shishou assured the person in charge of the wagons that they were very safe, and could continue on their journey. We arrived at the village a few hours later, all the civilians were perfectly fine, but they wouldn't stop chittering about almost dying, and I was glad to leave them behind. It only took us an hour of traveling through the trees to make it back to Konoha. Shishou filed the mission, I stood at his elbow, the obedient puppy that would scowl at anyone who gave us dirty looks, and waited with him to talk to the Hokage.

It turns out all we needed to do was turn in the scrolls with the bodies and we were good, so Shishou dismissed me to rest the next day and then show up at the training ground after that for more training. I groaned inwardly at the thought of it, because he was brutal during our training sessions. Ever since my first mission, when I ended up killing a rogue ninja on my own, causing my mind to break down, Shishou didn't let me take it easy.

I was grateful for that.

Now I've done a handful of D-rank missions, an even bigger handful of C and B-rank missions, and a couple of A-rank missions. The few A-rank missions I went on, Shishou had other jounin with him, and I mostly stayed in the background and set traps and tried to be a distraction.

I knew the boys would be asleep, it was late and their graduation exams were going to come up soon. They had maybe a week, I wasn't actually sure. I wasn't home a lot, but they both clung to me like kittens to their mother when I was. And I was okay with that. It reminded me that I was their age, and that I needed to be stronger so I could keep them safe.

I didn't bother waking them up. I would wake up in a few hours and make them an amazing breakfast and they could have a good start to their day, instead of me waking them up and them being too excited to go back to bed, causing them to be tired all day.

I was actually really surprised with how close the two had become. They truly did act like siblings, they fought plenty, but they stood up for each other and helped each other out. Sasuke-kun made sure that Naruto-kun wasn't dead last, and Naruto-kun actually has pretty decent chakra control thanks to him. I helped both of them out with random things. They could tree walk, and I was able to show Naruto-kun a wind natured jutsu that could give him a slight edge. I couldn't do it very well, but when I showed him the basics he picked it right up. Sasuke-kun learned a few extra fire ninjutsu, nothing big, especially with what I've managed to learn from the people I've fought or watch fight.

The two of them still needed work, but I knew they would be okay. Sasuke-kun was rooted in Konoha now, there was no way he was going to leave. Naruto-kun wasn't alone, and since I already knew what his problems were with a lot of things, we could work around whatever frustrated him. He didn't like to read, so either Sasuke-kun or I would read it out loud for him. Sasuke-kun hated it at first, until he realized that it helped him learn it even faster.

I saw the calendar in the kitchen, and I was surprised to see that their graduation test was actually tomorrow. The date was circled in bright red, and there were smiley faces. I was suddenly grateful that Kakashi-shishou let me get tomorrow off, even if I knew the training I would be getting the next day would be hell. Chances are, I'm going to have to help him with his test against the boys and the pinkette. Sakura-chan wasn't as bad as she used to be, I confronted her several times to back off, and I must have been scary enough to make her want to get stronger to fight for my brother, but she would never win. Her hair was still long, and I had fun pulling her hair one time, she keeps her distance now.

I didn't sleep much, I wanted to see Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun off to the academy, and ask them what time I needed to be there to congratulate them. I showered, and around six I started cooking bacon and sausage, and it was mere minutes from when I started that I heard them shuffling around, then they both came running into the kitchen with huge grins. I just smiled at them, because I was proud, and I was glad I was here.

They both went and got ready, then returned to the table as I was setting all the food on it. They each had their own massive plate of bacon, sausage and pancakes. I only had to eat about half of what they ate to be full, and I had actually been eating while I cooked, so I mostly sat and let them tell me how excited they were, who recently did what stupid thing, and eventually I felt like I was going to cry.

"Onee-san! Sakura-chan said hi to me the other day! She's so so pretty and Sasuke-kun is so lucky- " I heard Sasuke-kun mutter that he could have her, "that she likes him instead! But she isn't very strong, although she is a lot smarter than me. I asked for her to help me with some history stuff once, but she didn't seem to get that I wanted her to read it out loud. She hasn't helped me out since then…" Now Naruto-kun was pouting, but it was too adorable.

"Jahh- Naruto-kun, girls are just trouble. If she's smarter than you then that means she is studying better than you, so you should step up your game. And Sasuke-kun, don't talk with your mouth full. I'm your sister not your mom I shouldn't have to tell you that." I gave him a slight glare but all Sasuke-kun did was raise an eyebrow at me and continue to eat. I sighed in defeat. "Alright soon to be genin, when is the graduation ceremony?"

Both Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun looked up at me in shock. Sasuke asked the question though. "O-onee-san you mean you don't have training or a mission today? Your shishou never lets you have a day off! You told us we would get revenge on him soon. I want to punch him in the face or stealing you so much!" I gave him a close eyed smile, then he continued to talk. "It's supposed to be at noon. It might be about an hour, and then they release us to family. Are we going to celebrate?" They both looked so hopeful, they should have know we would be, but I guess they weren't even expecting to see me today.

"Bakas both of you! Of course we are. I have until then to plan the best day ever, so both of you pass with top marks, and expect a bang when I come to pick you up!" They both paled a little when I said bang, they knew how much i liked to make things explode. But they also knew not to take it for granted, because I was here and they knew I loved them.

They both ran off not too long after that. The dishes didn't take long, clean while you cook everyone says, and I was left with the dilemma of presents. I had bought both of them several things over the year, for birthdays, and sometimes just because I knew they missed me. I wasn't sure what I could get them, something that would show how proud I was of both of them. I knew I would figure something out though.

I ended up wandering around the shopping district of Konoha, and found myself in the same store Kakashi-shishou took me to when I graduated. I knew exactly what to get Sasuke-kun. Sure it was pricey, and as soon as I saw it, I knew it was meant for him, but it was worth it.

Naruto-kun's gift took longer to find. I didn't want to just get him a book, or a scroll with jutsus, because that was nothing compared to what I got Sasuke-kun. Then I thought about how Naruto-kun didn't know much about his family, his real family that is, and while I knew I couldn't tell him he was the previous Hokage's son, I might be able to find information on his mother and their ancestry.

And that ended up taking up the rest of the time I had, but I did finally find a book in a far back corner of a lonely bookstore that had Uzumaki clan information, along with descriptions of some of their techniques. It wasn't much, so I also got brand new kunai and shuriken, including the giant shuriken that folded up and did badass things.

I had a few minutes to wait before the graduation ceremony actually started, and I stayed in the back. People didn't like the Uchiha much anymore, because we took in Naruto-kun, and a few people heard me say I didn't think Itachi-nii-san killed the clan without a reason. I stood out even though I didn't look Uchiha. My hair was still bleached, and since I was in town I was just wearing a t-shirt with mesh underneath it and cargo pants. But the white hair and black eyes, what must seem like a haunted look in them to some, tended to make people not want to be around me. Whenever I wore my mask, people stared even more, because there was so much blood on it, certain parts were forever stained. But I saw no reason to get a new one, because it creeped out enemy nin just as much.

I was rather disappointed in the ceremony, it hadn't changed from when I went through, and they got the same bland speech as my class did. They really needed to step it up, especially since you would think the clan kids would want something extravagant. Chances are though, they get to go home to hundreds of people cheering for them and showering them with presents they won't even use.

Before it was actually over, I left and leaned against the tree with a swing, and used a genjutsu that let me blend in. The boys would probably walk over to the swing to wait for me, because that's where I always pick them up from, and I would use some of my colored smoke bombs to give cover, then drop my genjutsu and appear- they would love it, and the other kids would be ashamed they didn't have awesome family.

Before the boys even made it to me though, I heard people talking crap about Naruto-kun. I was already invisible, so getting close to the mother of a boy who barely passed,and was actually lower in standing than Naruto-kun was, was quite easy. I pulled out a kunai and put it to her throat, and let her feel just how pissed off I really was.

She immediately paled, and I warned her very quietly that if she didn't stop telling lies about about the boy who saved the village, her son could very easily disappear in the night and wake up in a different part of the world, with no effort on my part. She nodded her head, and pressed my kunai against her neck just enough that a small trickle of blood began to trickle down to what I was sure was one of her nicest shirts she owned.

I cackled inwardly as I walked back to the tree, where indeed Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun were looking around for me. I threw down some smoke, and let my genjutsu fade. They both looked at me with deadpan expressions. I raised an eyebrow at them.

"What? I said I would show up with a bang. Just be glad I didn't actually make something explode. I like to do that." I whipped out the scroll that I had put their gifts in and unsealed them. At this point both boys were very excited, and I gave Naruto-kun his gift first. He might be distracted enough not to be jealous of Sasuke-kun's sword. I could buy him one of course, but I would ask him if he wanted to fight with it first.

They were both ecstatic. Naruto-kun wouldn't put his book down, and Sasuke-kun was trying to find a good place to wear his sword. I ended up taking them to the barbeque restaurant, against all of Naruto-kun's wishes to get ramen, and I had to explain that since we always ate ramen there it wasn't as special as a place that was more expensive and we didn't go often.

Other than that the rest of their day went by fast, when we got home I helped Sasuke-kun with holding his sword, I had a few books on styles to try and use it, and I read Naruto-kun some of his book. I told him that if he wanted a new weapon, like swords or some type of new weapon. He told me that all he wanted was new jutsu's and stuff like that. I figured if he was content, I would let him be content.

Both of them had to go to the academy the next day to get their new sensei, who I was pretty sure was mine, but they were actually gone before I got up. I got ready and went to the training ground, and surprisingly, Kakashi-shishou was already there. He was leaning on a wooden log, staring at something I couldn't see. I wasn't sure if I should say something, but it turns out I didn't need to.

"Mirai-chan, thanks to me being an amazing mentor to you, I'm being given three little ducklings to teach. I don't know if I should be happy or sad. But I guess since I have you to do the grunt work it's going to be fine." He sighed. I knew he was probably thinking about his other team, the one that he kind of failed horribly.

"Shishou, I think you are going to be fine. I've made it this far, and sure I had close calls now and then, but you were there for me. Whoever they give you for the team will be lucky. I'm still going to be your apprentice?" I didn't want him to have to let me go, I needed to stay close to my brother and Naruto-kun. My entire existence in this world hinged on me being able to keep them safe.

"Of course Mirai-chan. This will give you a chance to work as a team, and I have a feeling that if I let you go, the Hokage would just make you come with me on missions anyway, because you are as awkward as I was before I grew up. And I already know who the Hokage is giving me for a team. But I can't tell you who is on the team. You'll meet them with me later. Meet me outside the academy at two." With that Shishou poofed out of existence, and I figured he wouldn't care if I did some training on my own. He did this often, he would tell me we had a mission in a few days and when to meet for that, but he wouldn't always help me with training. When he did it was brutal, and I always saw massive improvement in my skills and stamina after a few days, but I always spent a day or two just sleeping and not wanting to die.

I knew the boys had food, but I wasn't sure about Sakura-chan. I went back to the house after a few hours of training and got more food than I knew I would eat. I knew I couldn't tell them who their sensei was, but me checking in on them wasn't too weird. I figured they would eat on the roof anyway, that was a common thing they did now. Sakura-chan might follow them up there, and I knew she wouldn't be eating nearly enough food because she wanted to stay fit and pretty. Since she was going to be on Shishou's team, I would make sure she started to eat real food. She needed protein and carbs so she had energy. One of the bento boxes would likely be an entire day's worth of food for her. The boys generally took two with them each.

The boys were indeed on the roof, but Sakura-chan was nowhere to be found. When I asked Sasuke-kun where she was, he grumbled something about her being annoying and he yelled at her. I knew I needed to find her and make sure she was okay. I would deal with the boys later. I knew what her chakra felt like, it was mostly a soft presence, and she didn't have much but I could tell she had very good control over it. She was sitting in the classroom in her seat, and I could tell she was crying. I didn't say anything. Not yet at least.

I had to be careful with her. I knew she kind of looked up to me, because I was her beloved Sasuke-kun's sister, and she used to try and impress me to get on my good side, and then she would be able to hang out with Sasuke-kun, but she didn't like training so it didn't last long. I pulled out the bento and put it in front of her, along with chopsticks. I couldn't yell at her quite yet, but I knew I needed to get an important point across.

"Sakura-chan, you really need to realize that you are training to be a ninja. So is my brother, and he knows that. He's known since he was seven, and because of that he concentrates on training and getting stronger. If you really want him to like you, you need to show him that you can fight. And defend yourself. He doesn't think about anything else but getting stronger, and you shouldn't either. You are going to be going on missions, and there are going to be ninja who are much stronger than you, but are younger. I'm stronger than you, and I'm the same age. You need drive. Without it people are going to ignore you. You also need to eat. I could easily eat two of those. And I'm not fat. You work out, you get stronger, and people will envy you. So please Sakura-chan, eat."

I could tell she was about to start crying, but she slowly raised her head and grabbed the chopsticks. She started to eat, and I sighed. She might get in now, but I had a feeling she would go back and forth because she was female and she wanted guys to like her. I pulled out my bento and started eating as well, and I was done in a few minutes. I couldn't help it, I trained earlier and I used a decent amount of my chakra. "Are you going to be okay Sakura-chan?" She nodded.

"M-mirai-san, i-if you wouldn't mind, could you help me? I-I don't want to be seen as weak, but I know I am. Ino-chan was the strongest female, even though I was the smartest, and the boys still like her more. She eats like a pig-Ino-pig- a-and I want people to like me…" She trailed off, and I knew I might have actually gotten through to her. I put my hand on her back, she needed to know that asking for help was okay. It would make her stronger in the end.

"Of course Sakura-chan. I need to go meet with my sensei though, so why don't we discuss it when we see each other again? I have a feeling it's going to be rather soon." I gave her a small smile, and she looked at me with her big teal eyes. Which I was actually quite jealous of. Teal. It's my favorite color still. "And I like your eyes Sakura-chan. Just remember that everything is going to be okay."

Shishou wasn't late for me, but I knew his new team had been waiting for a while. He was reading Icha Icha Paradise when he walked up, he didn't seem like he cared much about what the few civilians who were in the streets though of him. The other ninja already knew what he was like, and they were all still surprised he was being trusted with more of the future ninja. They already didn't like me much. I was too much like him.

I was wearing my combat jacket, with pockets galore, this one was black, and my white mask that went up to my nose and had an extension down to my jacket's collar. I didn't have my bag on me, any weapons I thought I might need, which I knew I wouldn't were in my cargo pants. I really liked cargo pants, and no one could convince me they weren't worth wearing.

Shishou left it up to me to tell the ducklings to meet him on the roof. I could see the eraser in the door, and just slid it open and let it fall. I knew it was Naruto-kun, so it picked up and threw it in his face. Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun were both dead panned for a second, and then they got angry. Sakura-chan seemed surprised to see me, and then she smiled.

"I'm not your new sensei. He's lazy and he's on the roof. Meet us up there." And then I was gone. I knew the Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun would both want explanations as to why I didn't tell them, but it was supposed to be a surprise, and I figured the two would sulk for a few hours and then ask me what to look out for with our new sensei. I already knew I would be helping them train the most. Shishou would likely show up to tell them their missions, I would actually make sure they did them in a timely manner, and then I would probably give them lunch, make them eat as a team, and then help them train. Unless Shishou gave them the brutal training sessions I got, which he might since he knows that they give results, they wouldn't get strong quickly like I did.

It was actually a funny story how his way of training that I didn't remember from before began. I had been bothering him to teach me new things, help me get faster and stronger, and I suppose I was getting annoying. I mentioned how he was being lax with my training, and how I was sure that if that's how he trained to get into the Anbu then I could totally make it. I probably hit a button I shouldn't have, because I knew Danzo was still a threat, and he probably didn't want me thinking I could just go be great without him protecting me. The next three days I was sleep deprived, and pushed to almost passing out several times.

I imagine Anbu training was worse, because whenever I was about to break and give up he would ease up just enough, and then get right back to beating me in the dirt when I started to be okay. That is probably the only reason I stopped bothering him, and it's probably why I got better so quickly. He did the same training at least once a month with me, and he always just about breaks me, but he has to try a hell of alot harder than he did before. I was still a genin, and that was probably more because he didn't want me to take the chunin exams outside of the village, where I would actually be alone since I didn't have a team, and only Konoha made teams mandatory, and he was just lazy. I hadn't gone on missions that could get me a field promotion since my first mission, and I knew Shishou didn't want to go on a mission that could turn badly like that mission did.

Kakashi-shishou had the new team do the same introductions I did when he got me, and they were pretty bland. Sakura-chan's was the same as it was before, kind of at least, and Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun's were similar in the aspect that they both wanted to get stronger to protect the village and their family. Naruto-kun still wanted to be the hokage, and he exclaimed that loudly, but I wasn't surprised. Shishou seemed bored though, and it grated on my nerves. Because they were my family and he didn't really care, and I knew he was doing it just to get on their nerves as well. He wanted them to think he was aloof and that he was above them, but I had spent so much time with him that I knew he cared.

He was still pretty much the same Kakashi-sensei from before, but he wasn't horrible with helping train, and he sort of understands the way a genin thinks now. Sure I wasn't a normal genin, I was easily a chunin level, but Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun were at lead mid-genin because of my help. Sakura-chan needed a lot of help, but I could probably get away with training her as hard as Shishou trained me.

I knew they would have their test tomorrow, and I had a feeling that Kakashi-shishou would ask for me to mess with them, be on his side tomorrow. I wasn't sure if he would do the exact same thing he did before, but if he asked me to try and sabotage them, I would have fun. I didn't get to have fun much.

Kakashi-shishou started to get creepy with them, but I think me being in the background raising my eyebrows and shaking my head at what he was saying helped the three of them calm down. Before he poofed off he gave me a signal to meet him by the memorial stone. He probably wanted me to help him tomorrow them.

After he did leave, I assured Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun they would be fine, and I told Sakura-chan she should do her best to work as a team with her new team. And not just focus on Sasuke-kun. I jumped off the roof, roof bouncing was fun to do at night more than the day, but I figured I should hurry. Kakashi-shishou liked to disappear if I made him wait too long.

He was staring down at all the names, I think there was a Uchiha monument similar to this one. It wasn't the same, it was just names of everyone who died and they weren't organized well, but I made sure there was always fresh flowers and I visited it once a week at least. Shishou-looked like he was deep in thought, I couldn't help but wonder if he ever tried to carve his father's name in the stone. I stood there with my hands in my pocket for a few minutes before he said anything.

"Minarai, I hope I can rely on you to help keep these children safe. They have been sheltered, I know you understand what I mean. I know you want to keep the family you have made safe. Tomorrow I am going to test their ability to work as a team. I want you to do your best to split them up. Not literally, but see if they stand by each other. I know you can use genjutsu, but don't hurt them. You won't be fighting them." He was still looking down at the names. I knew he was probably praying to whatever god he believed in that he wouldn't screw this up. I had a sudden urge, and I decided to give in for once.

He was one of my favorite people in the world. I hadn't attempted to give him a hug ever, he could still kill me with his pinky, but he was sad and down and he needed to know that people believed in him. At least I did. So he very quickly found me, hugging him, and he was tense and he didn't like it, but after a few seconds he stopped tensing up, and awkwardly patted my head. It probably has been forever since he got a hug from someone.

"Shishou, I know you think you are going to fail but you won't. Hokage-sama trusted you with me, and I'm volatile enough. I haven't turned out too bad yet. Team seven is going to do great things. Now if you don't mind, I need to start planning how to whip those three into shape. You know they are going to pass tomorrow." I heard him sigh, and when I let go of him, it had been a good solid minute and I was glad I managed to hug him. He walked off and gave me a wave while he pulled out his stupid book of smut.

I got groceries before I went home, and while I walked through the empty Uchiha district, I couldn't help but feel like all the empty buildings could go to use. I mean, yeah people used to live there, but they've just been sitting around and it made everything like a ghost town. I put the idea in the back of my head to mention it to Shishou, who might mention it to the hokage. Sasuke-kun was in the backyard going through stances I vaguely recognized from a book I gave him. Naruto-kun looked like he was practicing a new jutsu, I didn't recognize the handsigns. I didn't bother them, because they were actually taking it upon themselves to train without me getting on their butts.

I put away the food, we were getting low on rice and meat, stuff that would turn into bento and meals that could be heated up or brought on a mission. There was still plenty of bento in the fridge, and enough food to be heated up for at least a week, so I went to my room and just planned. I would probably help out a lot with team seven's training a lot, and if I didn't write out a schedule I would forget what I had them working on if we suddenly had a long mission. I knew if I wrote something out for Sakura-chan she would probably try to stick to it, but the main thing I wanted to work on with her was gaining weight and getting stronger.

I was pretty much underweight before, I just didn't gain weight, and I didn't want Sakura-chan to struggle with getting stronger. The Sakura I knew relied the Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun to keep her safe, and while she did get stronger, she went through quite a lot of pain to get there. This wouldn't be easy for her, but I wanted her to have a better chance to help people.

I also wasn't looking forward to the next day, because I knew what I had to do, but I would manage.

The three of them were on time, which really didn't surprise me at all, and I was there in the trees watching them. It was kind of creepy yes, but I needed to see how they were getting along. It seemed like Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun were content to sit and either be quiet or nap. It was easy to guess who did what. Sakura-chan was still being really jittery and shy, she didn't want to sit near Naruto-kun, but she wanted to be as close as she could be to Sasuke-kun.

I looked around the forest area of the training ground, mostly just to know where the landmarks were. I vaguely recalled where their fights had happened, and I decided I wanted to be able to mental map the area. Shishou had taught me how to write a dud seal, not like it didn't work, but it existed just to be a beacon to my chakra sense. My chakra sense had gotten more sensitive, I could feel chakra and kind of make out what it surrounded. Thanks to that, I could sense someone even if they were hiding their chakra if I tried hard enough. I haven't had to try that hard in a while.

After that brief check on them, I let them be. I could show up with Kakashi-shishou and tell them I'm not allowed to interfere, then use a genjutsu so they don't see me, and I can do what I need to do. I knew none of them ate, but they would probably celebrate with Ichiraku's ramen, so I wasn't worried.

When Shishou poofed into the clearing, I simply walked over to the team. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun both frowned at me, because they hadn't seen me since last night. I could feel the tension, because the three of them didn't know what to expect, and it was almost like they expected me to pull them along and tell them what to do. I couldn't do that. There would be a day where I wasn't there, where I couldn't protect them, and they needed to know that. They had to know.

"Y'all three will do fine. Go easy on them sensei." I kept my eyes on the ground, and shunshined near one of my seals. I didn't do that jutsu often, mostly because I didn't have a way to make it unique to me. Like how high rank ninjas could make ink replace them, or lightning, and I wanted something cool as well. I think Itachi-nii-san used crows with it, but I think he also had crow clones. They suited him, and I needed something that suited me. Because I needed to become something that was feared, someone who could mess with the structure of things and change how the events happened.

It had occurred to me the night before, all I was doing right now was making myself a target. If I could change certain events, then I could make the things I barely remember, pretty much all the minor details of Shippudden, change possibly. Maybe not by much, because that's hoping for a lot, but if I change things enough in Konoha, my brother won't have to defect, and I can go through any pain in order to keep him and Naruto-kun alive.

From where I was in the trees, I could see Naruto-kun getting angry with Kakashi-shishou. Sasuke-kun was glaring at him for whatever reason, Shishou might have called Naruto-kun an idiot. Sakura-chan was standing off to the side, twiddling her thumbs, and it was obvious how out of place she was.I sighed somewhat angrily, and I had to remind myself that she was pretty much still a civilian, and that when I was done with her, she wouldn't be weak.

I couldn't hear Shishou, but when Sakura-chan ran to the bushes and Sasuke-kun shunshined to a nearby bush, leaving Naruto-kun with his arms crossed in front of Shishou, I knew they had started. I tried to sense where Sakura-chan was, and found that she was hiding behind a bush, not very well, her chakra was very easy to sense. Sasuke-kun at least tried to hide his. I applied my chameleon genjustu, and the rush of chakra I used to appear next to her, reminded me of the old days, kind of old days, where I wasn't sure what to do on missions and when I was just like them.

"You really should hide your chakra better." My voice was distorted, and I pondered why I never did this to people who made trouble for Naruto-kun. Shishou taught me a few genjutsu, he didn't like me practicing on him, but I didn't have other people to work with. He only let me use them on him once or twice, just to see if I could cast them, which I was very good at, and when we went on missions he had me use them on the enemy. Those were the times I had the most fun, because I could get in their heads and mess with them, and most of the time they didn't even know they died. It might be seen as more peaceful, but I knew I was cruel.

I wasn't going to scar Sakura-chan though, I was just making her see Ino-chan get close to Sasuke-kun to see if she would still team up with Naruto-kun as well, so they could all work together. I emphasized with the boys last night that they were a team and needed to work together, even if they didn't want to, because not working together could get them all killed on a mission.

She wouldn't be out for long, so I found Sasuke-kun, who was still in a bush and I only knew he was there because he carried one of my tag seals on him. He tensed when I got near him, and that slight fact made me proud. He might be able to get out of my genjutsu before he gets to the point where he has to decide to work with Naruto-kun, but as far as I knew he hadn't had to release them before. It would be realistic, and I almost wanted him to notice. If only to show Shishou that he was greater than he was giving him credit to be.

Sasuke-kun's head dipped down, he would be out for a few minutes. Not long enough that he would be hurt by Shishou sneaking up on him, Naruto-kun was still distracting him. I actually needed to check on that.

They were still in the clearing, and Naruto-kun seemed upset, he didn't like that Kakashi-shishou was setting them against each other to get bells, since they were already a team and they needed to work together. I teared up slightly, because it was such a huge change, it scared me to see how much faster he would get better with people to support him. Even if I did disappear, he had Sasuke-kun, and most of the other clan kids liked him at least. He could ask them for help and they would give it.

I felt Sakura-chan moving around, seemed like she was done with the genjutsu then. She came running into the clearing, very visibly upset. I didn't think the genjutsu was that bad, but maybe I underestimated her.

 _Sakura-chan watched as Sasuke-kun held Ino-chan's hand, he decided she was more worth her time because she was stronger, more willing to work with her team. Sakura-chan thought back to what Mirai-san said, about how Ino-chan can fight, how she eats better, and Sakura-chan felt a fire in her stomach build. This couldn't be real, no, Mirai-san just told her that Sasuke-kun cared more about getting stronger than girls. Which mean Kakashi-sensei was using a genjutsu on her, maybe to try and get her to hate him. That wasn't going to happen. She was on a team with Naruto-kun now, and while that wasn't great, she knew if she got along with him, Sasuke-kun might be more willing to at least talk to her and work with her._ Sakura-chan formed the kai handsign, and released the genjustu. When she came to, she didn't even notice that she was crying.

"Naruto-kun! Don't listen to Kakashi-sensei! He's trying to trick us, we need to team up! Get out of the clearing!" Naruto-kun was even more shocked than I was, and I was surprised enough that my chameleon genjutsu wavered for a second. Then I couldn't help but grin, because this girl, Sakura-chan that is, was actually learning something already. Naruto-kun started grinning as well, and he might as well have shunshined to where Sakura-chan was.

"Alright Sakura-chan! Let's go find Sasuke-kun and come up with a plan." He thought he was whispering, but come on, Naruto-kun is naturally loud, even I could hear him from the other side of the clearing. Kakashi-shishou had a deadpan look, he didn't expect it to go that way at all. He glared in the direction I was, and I couldn't help but giggle. I shunshined back to Sasuke-kun, and I was surprised to see him glaring at the ground. I could hear him muttering under his breath that it wasn't real, and that it had to be a trick because Onee-san would never die like that.

 **All you do is break them.**

I shook my head, I couldn't listen to that part of me. I barely registered it was there, because all that part of me wanted to do was hurt, kill, abandon the ones I love. I knew it was me, it was a part of me that I trapped in my mind palace a few years ago. It saved my life on my first mission, and I normally didn't hear it. But I knew it was there./p

 _Kakashi-sensei knocked her unconscious, she wasn't moving, and there was blood trickling from a gash on her head. She started to twitch, and her eyes opened suddenly. She was trying to scream something out, that we needed to be strong for her, without her, but something seemed to crawl up her throat and take her words. My grip on my kunai slackened, I needed to save her, but there was nothing I could do. Kakashi-sensei- bthis isn't real, it can't be real, Onee-chan trusts Kakashi-sensei with her life-/b The kunai suddenly had blood on it. It was over._

I could only back up, because Sasuke-kun was suddenly emitting killer intent, and I needed to calm him down. He couldn't go at Kakashi-shishou like this, not without his team.

"Sasuke-kun- The best way to beat him is to go as a team. Find your team." I didn't think he would recognize my voice, but I couldn't have him losing his shit right now. That needed to be saved, saved for a mission where his life was on the line. He needed to have drive to get stronger, which this was, but right now he needed to find his team, and show Kakashi-shishou not to underestimate them, or him.

I figured I could take a few steps back, and watch what they did from up in a tree. I didn't want to get caught in the fight, but seeing how they fight as a team, without me telling them how to work together yet, even though Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun worked together very well already, it could help me know what to work on with them.

Kakashi-shishou was leaning against the tree, and I could tell it was a clone. He was actually hiding up in the tree I think, waiting like a hungry cat. I didn't think the three of them knew a way to tell clone from real yet, so I just hoped they could show him they were good enough.

Their plan would have worked, I could tell but how Naruto-kun came running out of the trees, Sasuke-kun was flanking him, and Sakura-chan was still a bit out of place, because she didn't have many justus she could use quite yet, made several clones to try and confuse their new sensei. It kind of all crashed to a halt when a shuriken hit Kakashi-shishou, and he poofed into a log. At the same time, Shishou was no longer in the tree, and I was suddenly being held to knife point, and we were behind the three of them. My chameleon genjutsu pretty much shattered, because Sasuke-kun turned slowly, like he expected it. And I realized that to him it probably looked like the genjutsu he had been under was happening before his eyes. _He even had the kunai in his hand, and I saw his grip slacken as his eyes widened-_

I didn't even think, Shishou was making my only blood relation think I was about to die, and the part of me that stayed hidden was no longer in hiding. I replaced myself with a log, reapplied the chameleon jutsu, and tried to catch Shishou off guard from behind, both swords drawn, but he turned and held my attack in place with two kunai, his headband was up, eye still closed, and it took me a second to calm down. My own sharingan had awaken, and I let it fade before I let the genjutsu fade. The glare I was giving him, I don't think he was expecting me to react this way.

"Shishou. I won't let you use me to hurt this team. I'm also a part of this team, and I figured I should work with the team as well." I jumped over Shishou, landed near Sakura-chan and handed her the bells that had been clenched in my hand when I attacked Shishou. I sighed heavily. That didn't go to plan.

Shishou treated all of us to ramen, as I expected, and while the three new genin were explaining their test to Teuchi-san, I slowly ate my ramen, I needed to breathe slowly and get back in control. Kakashi-shishou was watching me, he hadn't said anything about what happened. After I gave Sakura-chan the bells, he had explained that it was really just a test to see if they could work as a team. Which they could. He gave them his line about those who leave their comrades behind being worse than scum. I stayed in the background, adrenaline did bad things to me when I wasn't actually in combat, and in order to work it off I needed to train.

I knew team seven would probably go home and train, but the kind of training I was going to end up doing had to be out of everyone else's way. I would end up letting go, and if I was around people there was no way to know how it would turn out. As the team broke up, Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun headed home to train on the compound, Sakura-chan wanted to try and actually work on her strength, and I told her I would help her some other day.

 **Let us play.**


	10. In Which Stupid Things Are Done

**In Which Stupid Things Are Done**

I knew I wasn't a great person. Not since I graduated, and not since I started to think of different ways to fix this world. I used to just want to keep Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun safe, help them get stronger, but recently my mind was having fun coming up with scenarios that had me disrupting the other of things around me. Creating anarchy, even leaving the village and wreaking havoc as best as I could.

Every time my mind went there, I forced myself to go out, either train or just see Konoha. It was a beautiful city, village, call it what you will. Night was my favorite time to see the sights. The Hokage Monument looked serene with moonlight, and there were generally paper lanterns lit around the village. When it got past eleven, there weren't people outside. Ninja were out, running around and carrying the messages they needed to or reporting in, and I often perched on the edge of a building and watched what I could.

Team Seven had gotten considerably better in the month that I assisted with their training, and that Kakashi-shishou whipped them into shape. He didn't train them the same way he trained me, because he knew they wouldn't react the way I did to it. He pushed Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun as hard as he could, but Sakura-chan couldn't even last a few hours with them. I ended up helping her most of the time, and I knew it bothered Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun.

They were learning sure, but it was from Kakashi-shishou, and he didn't do things the way they were used to. Sakura-chan was only going to get so much better with my help however. She tired easily. She didn't have much chakra, and at first all I heard from her was complaining. Then I made a comment about how I didn't complain when my clan was killed, and how she should suck it up. I said it under my breath and I didn't mean for her to hear it, but I didn't hear her complain after that.

It was gradual with the three of them, but there was improvement. I made sure that when they did their boring D-rank missions, which I actually didn't do when I started because I shadowed Shishou. He mostly stood to the side, then he would disappear until after lunch, where the team met up at the training ground to train. I felt it slowly driving me insane, I was used to running, moving around and doing missions that weren't in the village. Eventually I was just bringing books and notebooks to either learn a new technique or write out a plan.

Shishou was so busy helping Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun, I hadn't really learned much of anything new. I worked on my speed and my strength on my own. I knew I was just like a small child that suddenly had a sibling, I was jealous that I didn't get attention from someone I really looked up to, but I knew that's how it would be. All I could hope was that I could learn enough skills from him that I could work on in time.

I didn't really sleep much at night, I spent a lot of my time either reading or training. When I got up and went to train, I did as many laps as I could around Konoha, and sadly that meant I had close calls with Shishou's rival. I hadn't really ever talked to them, if they appeared I would shunshin right out of that problem. In order to work on my strength I usually just added more chakra to my body weights. I was getting very bored in the village, and I never thought that would actually happen.

I don't know if Kakashi-shishou noticed that I was starting to get bored, I felt that he should have noticed. It wasn't until I was wandering around the roofs of Konoha one night, it was after midnight actually, when he found me. I was sitting on a building near the outskirts of Konoha, I could see the forest, and I felt like it was calling to me. I felt his chakra in the back of my mind, I didn't bother turning to look at him. I knew he was there, and he knew that I knew. He didn't say anything at first, it seemed like he was considering what to say to me.

"Mirai-chan, it's been awhile since we talked. I know something is bothering you, and normally I wouldn't ask because it's not my business, but I think I'm one of the few people in the village that might understand how you feel." I knew he didn't want to ask me what was wrong. He was a recluse and he didn't like people, he didn't like feelings. I actually didn't like them much either anymore. Not since I was conflicted in everything I did.

"Shishou… I'm just worried about Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun. They are getting better, but if we go on a mission outside of the village and it turns south- I feel like I'm not going to be strong enough to keep them safe. I haven't learned anything new since you became their sensei, and I know that's selfish, but I've been in the field longer than they have. I can't let them get hurt." I trailed off at the end, because I felt like I was complaining and being selfish. It had been a while since I didn't have someone's attention, not like when Kakashi-shishou started training me.

"Oh Mirai-chan, that's why I'm working them hard. They need the work the most. I know if we go on a mission, you will be more than strong enough to keep them safe. Since you are working with Sakura-chan, she has gotten a lot less whiny. I actually overheard her telling Naruto-kun about the new outfit she was going to buy, because it would be easier to train and fight in it. You've changed her for the better, and believe it or not, you've learned quite a bit since they got on the team. You didn't have a team before, and now you can work with them. Besides, we are getting assigned a C-rank mission tomorrow. So go back home, and get some sleep." He ruffled my hair, which still irritated me as much as it did at the beginning, but to get back at him I gave him a hug. He sighed, and he pushed me off, but I grinned at him as he disappeared into the night.

When he was gone my grin became a scowl. If we were getting a C-rank mission, that meant shit was going to go down tomorrow.

When we met to get our mission, Kakashi-shishou was actually on time. If that wasn't ominous enough, I didn't know what was. I wasn't wearing my actual mission gear yet. The drunk old man would get to see civilian me, then he would see the ninja me, the me I was used to being and was more comfortable, and then he would back off. He wouldn't get hurt. He would just get traumatized enough that he would learn not to lie to ninja.

I didn't like how the Hokage acted when he was around Naruto-kun. He tried to be his best friend, and it suddenly occurred to me that Naruto-kun didn't know one essential thing he had known before. I wasn't sure how that would make everything turn out, as far as I knew the Hokage hadn't tried to tell him.

Naruto-kun didn't actually complain about getting D-rank missions. That might be because I had explained to him several times that D-rank missions were important for new genin to do, because they had to learn to follow orders and get things done quickly. Since then he hadn't complained, and Sasuke-kun just did them diligently without complaining. Sakura-chan tried to take charge, not in a boss around way, but she wanted to be part of the mission, and she didn't seem to boss Naruto-kun around quite as much as I thought she would have.

The Hokage announced that we would be getting a C-rank, and starting rifling through scrolls. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun were both starting to get excited, and Sakura-chan looked like she was getting nervous. She gave me a small glance and then looked back at the Hokage. She had improved quite a bit from where she was, and true to what I had been told before, she was wearing more ninja suited clothing.

It was pink sure, but she had short pink khakis with mesh leggings underneath them, and a matching pink vest, also with mesh underneath. I suggested to her that she get something that could also be a weight, but I wasn't actually sure if her new outfit did that or not.

I heard the Hokage talking, but I wasn't paying attention. I knew what all was going to happen, and I wanted to be able to keep them safe. I didn't know how things would go now, because Naruto-kun didn't know he had something inside him, and if he got upset it would easily get let loose. Since I had my sharingan, and Kakashi-shishou did as well, we would probably, at least I hope so, be able to calm him down.

I came back to reality when I heard a gravelly voice, slurring his words, talking to the Hokage.

"So thissss iss the group of ninjas' meant to protect me? Might to a better job watching some toddlerss. Is thiss the bessst you got?" I felt my eye start to twitch, I had known he was an annoying drunk before, and I had been the daughter of one in my old life, but this wasn't the same thing. They hid that they drank, this man didn't care if we knew. I wouldn't mind letting him get roughed up a little by the demon brothers.

Kakashi-shishou sighed, I could tell he was going to have fun dealing with him as well. "Tazuna-san, I assure my team is more than fit to see you safely to you home. I myself am Jounin, and my apprentice is more a low level chunin. The three genin that are team seven have gotten considerably stronger than when they graduated the academy. You don't need to worry. So long as the information about the mission parameters is correct, we will have no issue keeping you safe." I saw Tazuna-san scrunch his eyebrows slightly, at the mention of mission parameters being correct, but then it was gone, and he took a swig of his bottle.

"That poison will kill you old man. You need your liver to live. Watch what you say to my team." I couldn't keep my anger out of my voice, I didn't like that he thought they were children. Sure they haven't been exposed to actual dangerous missions, but he was paying for the wrong type of mission, and he should know that it would be his fault if they got hurt. And I won't let them get hurt, not if all I have to do is hand him over. Or at least pretend to.

I saw the Hokage and Shishou both narrow their eyes at me, but I kept my eyes on the ground and put my hands in my pockets. I didn't like being around people who hoarded power, such as the Hokage, and the power play was getting on my nerves. I needed to get out of the village. Stretch my leg, fight the bad guys that want to take advantage of the weak. Sure I wouldn't be doing much to stop what would happen in a few years, but I needed to keep them safe until at least after the chunin exams. That would be a fun thing to traverse through.

Shishou told us all to pack for a couple of weeks, and to meet at the gate in an hour. I already had my pack ready, enough for a good month, and I had prepared a ton of food that was preserved and could be stored in a seal. Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun both had scrolls of food, I showed them how to use them recently because I knew this was coming up. I even had weapons sealed away, and several books. I knew this mission would last a while, and I didn't want to get bored. I knew I would though.

One thing I had ensured since Naruto-kun graduated, is that he still knew the shadow clone jutsu. Sasuke-kun also knew it, because I couldn't teach one and not the other, but I knew a lot of Naruto-kun's skill came from this jutsu, and since he was able to pick it up easily, I figured it was good I showed him.

I made sure both boys packed more than enough clothing. They didn't understand why I wanted them to have more than enough, but later on they would thank me. Since they used storage scrolls it wasn't like they had to carry a lot of stuff anyway.

I didn't know if I was ready for them to actually be in harms way. Up until now, they stayed in the village and I went and did the missions that could get me killed. Sasuke-kun had been in danger, but that was years ago and I was strong enough to keep him safe now. At least I wanted to think I was.

Kakashi-shishou was on time, waiting at the gate. The three of us were ten minutes early, and Tazuna-san came wobbling over to us a few minutes later. I was actually in my mission gear, and I didn't even give him a glance. I was looking out at the forest, aching to go run and not be stuck in a dome. The ninja that were on guard duty saw me and they thought it was amusing. They were used to me looking like a miniature Kakashi, and even they could tell I had cabin fever.

While we walked, it was an agonizing slow pace that made me ache for higher rank missions, I paid attention to what Kakashi-shishou said, along with the boys and Tazuna-san, but a lot of my attention was on the forest around us. I couldn't feel anyone, besides the current entourage, and I wanted to have as much heads up as possible. I wanted to keep Naruto-kun from getting in harms way, but I had a feeling things weren't going to turn out the same way now.

I could hear Sakura-chan giving the boys a lesson on something to do with the different countries, I think, I didn't pay much attention to what she said at all. I knew she would give a few speeches, she thought the boys were uneducated. Which I didn't understand, because Naruto-kun obviously wasn't dead last anymore. Sure he might not remember the information right away now, but it was there.

I knew Naruto-kun still liked her, and the fact that she was training more and not being as mean to him kind of helped. He seemed happy, as did Sasuke-kun. He didn't dislike her as much as he had, and that was because he could see her trying. She wasn't a defenseless fangirl, she didn't dress the same, and she was improving her ability to fight.

Kakashi-shishou walked past the puddle first, and he gave me a sharp look. I started to slow my gait just enough that I slowed down and was at the rear of the group. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun were both behind Sakura-chan, who was near Tazuna-san. I could feel the chakra, they really weren't hiding well, and it hadn't rained recently so I didn't get why they thought they could trick anyone.

Moments of intense action used to slow down my perspective. I could see the demon brothers appear, all they did was dispel their jutsu, and they were there, blades ready. I already knew they had poison on their weapons, and both of my swords were out and blocking their attacks. They were trying to do what they had done to Kakashi-shishou, wrap me in their chains and slice me to pieces. I flared my chakra, and figured I should let them go at Tazuna-san just enough that it was obvious they wanted to kill him. Couldn't interfere now too much could I?

Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun both had kunai out, and they charged at the same time. The demon brothers didn't engage with them however. Sakura-chan was behind me, and Kakashi-shishou jumped forward as soon as the demon brothers went for Tazuna-san. I made sure to pull both Sakura and Tazuna out of the way, and a few seconds after that the two rogue ninja were tied up in their own chains.

I knew Shishou would want to question them, so I made sure everyone else wasn't hurt or anything. Tazuna-san was a little shaky, but everyone else was fine. I gave Tazuna-san a piece of chocolate, I told him it would help him calm down, which it might actually do. Kakashi-shishou returned, eyebrow furrowed and obviously upset.

He glanced at Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan. Then he made a beeline towards me and pulled me aside.

"Mirai-chan, we might have a problem. I questioned the demon brothers, and they are leading me to believe that Tazuna-san lied to us about a few things. I know you want to keep your brother safe, but I need you to go ahead of us and make sure things in wave aren't as bad as I think they are." He didn't seem like he wanted me to go, but he had a good point. I nodded, there was no reason to disagree when it meant I might be able to make their fight later a bit easier to win.

It didn't take me very long to make it to Wave. I knew they would be at least a couple more hours, but since I was moving at full speed and I could run on water, I got there with no issues. I knew there was poverty, but the buildings were old and it was easy to tell that the people didn't have money.

I could see the thugs that worked for Gato, and they stood out quite a bit. I wandered around the town a little, trying to see if I could either find Gato, or someone who would be able to take me to him. I couldn't sense ninja around me, but for all I knew they were better at hiding than I could sense.

Eventually I gave up, and figured I could find the bridge and Tazuna-san's house. It was doing that, that I found something interesting. I got near the bridge, and I could see the workers not working, but fighting and arguing. I knew I looked like a ninja, and the fact that I had a headband across my forehead meant I couldn't really hide.

I walked up to them, they looked like they could actually end up hurting each other. "Everything alright over here guys?" Pretty much all of them jumped, maybe they saw me but didn't expect me to engage them?

One of the men had a very red face, I could tell he was the one instigating the fight. "What would you know about our problems little boy? You aren't from here, you don't know what we are going through. We live in fear that Gato is going to send his men to hurt our families, or even us in our sleep." All I could give him was a dead stare.

I took a few steps toward him, the other workers moved and seemed scared themselves. "You know, my entire clan was killed by my brother. I don't think he did because he wanted to though, he did it because there are monsters out there. And guess who can make monsters go away? People like me. Sure I'm also a monster, but monsters are good at taking out monsters. I wouldn't expect one of you to do it. You don't have it in you. But guess what? My team is on its way, and I can promise you we will fix things here. I might not care for people, but Konoha does. I lost family, but I've been able to create my own since then. Your village can do the same."

I wasn't sure where the fight with Zabuza was supposed to happen, but what I knew, was that they were going after Tazuna-san. So if Tazuna-san were to 'appear' I might be able to flush them out. So that's what I did. I made a clone and had the clone do the transformation jutsu, and walk the path that lead to his home. He lived not too far from the village, but it was enough of a walk that I thought it might work.

I couldn't feel the chakra coming, but it wasn't there one second and then it was. I did my best to stay hidden, I couldn't let either Zabuza or Haku know I was here, I mostly wanted to get them out in the open and get them off guard. Zabuza was standing on a tree branch, looking down at the clone. My clone actually wasn't reacting to him, and that is probably what gave me away.

Zabuza threw something at the clone that dispelled it, and starting looking around in the bushes and the trees, obviously searching for whoever tricked him. I did my best not to move, but crouching underneath the bush I was hiding under, I realized just how stupid I had been. I'm not Kakashi-shishou's level of strength, and there was no way in hell I would ever be able to so much as touch him. I might be able to anticipate his moves and attacks, but there was no guarantee that once I released my weights that I would be fast enough.

I felt like I was on my first mission again, my heart was pounding and I knew in that moment that I had absolutely no hope of winning this fight on my own. All I had done is get his attention, the fucking demon of the mist, and I would regret it more than anything I have ever done in this life. He knew exactly where I was, he was a trained assassin, he killed his entire class when he was my age when I graduated, and I thought this was a good idea a few hours ago. If I did die now, I actually kind of deserved it.

Despite all of this, I knew I couldn't just hide in the shadows and be a coward. I pulled him out here, and for all I know my team could show up in ten minutes. I could try to buy time, try to get him to talk, anything. But not hide. Not after everything I've already been through.

I released my weights, and at the same time ran to the clearing. I had my head down, and I was trying to keep myself from just giving up and running. If I could feign strength and courage, I could live just a little bit longer. My sharingan was activated, but my vision was blurry because I had suddenly started crying. Now of all times to freak out, I had to get control. Control would save my life.

I could tell he was just staring at me. I knew I wasn't what he expected, some child alone without anyone to back them up. Easy to kill, but why would I draw him out? It hit me. I knew some of his plan, I knew a few things about him. I might, _might-_ be able to talk to him. My vision cleared and I looked up at him.

He was very smug, he was probably already deciding how to kill me, what to use, where to stab _probably the jugular_ and I really didn't care. I didn't have my swords out yet, but I could feel my chakra thrumming through every cell in my body, it was a high I hadn't had a long time.

"Zabuza-san. I don't want to fight, I just want to talk. I know who you are and that you have an apprentice in the trees waiting to save you in case anything turns south. I'm going to be honest. It was stupid of me-" In an instant I could feel his killing intent- the demon chakra- and I understood where he got the name. But his chakra wasn't as bad as someone I knew, someone who helped kill my clan.

 **Don't let him win.**

I clenched both of my fists hard enough to cut my palms with my nails. He had menacing chakra but I knew worse. I knew what else was out there, the actual monsters who drove me to be stronger.

"Zabuza-san, you think you're so strong, but really, there are other monsters out there much worse than you. The man who is responsible for killing my clan, the man I know wants to end the world. I might not be able to beat you, not by far and no chance in the world, but I know someone who can. He is my Shishou, and I will be like him one day." I met his eyes, and instead of the smug look he had before, he was curious.

I was caught off guard when he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small book. He flipped through it for a few seconds, then stopped on a picture, looked at me, and closed his book.

"I know exactly who your sensei is brat. That doesn't mean I'm going to take it easy on you though. You aren't even on my apprentices level." I felt his chakra surge before he moved, and since I kind of knew where he was going to attack, thanks to adrenaline and being high strung on doing a stupid thing, I was able to dodge.

His sword, I don't remember its name, I knew it was massive even when he was standing on the tree, but when it was being used to try and chop me in half, I almost forgot how to breathe, the thing was three times my size and he carried it around like it was nothing.

I did my best to enhance everything I could with chakra, but I could feel the toll right away on my reserves. _I'm so fucking stupid-_ The entire time, Zabuza-san was amused. He wasn't even trying, I could tell, and I wanted to find a way to knock that smirk off his face. Genjutsu might get me a couple of seconds to gather myself, but I doubted it would even be enough to help.

I couldn't tell if Haku was nearby, I couldn't feel chakra well, I was overwhelmed enough it seemed. I knew I couldn't take even a brush against his sword, I would lose no matter what. Zabuza-san seemed to understand that I was just going to dodge and avoid him. He suddenly froze, and I stopped moving so suddenly that I almost fell on my face. My breathing was labored, my entire body was throbbing, my head was pounding and my chest hurt.

Zabuza-san looked at me with hooded eyes. "I can't believe your sensei even let you leave the village in this state. You aren't ready for battle. You are a child, killing you isn't even worth it. But since you are here, that means Kakashi of the Sharingan is going to be here soon." He jerked his head to the side just a little, then looked at me again with a glare.

I didn't even see him move this time, all I knew was that I was on my feet, then I was in the air, then I wasn't. I could tell I hit my head, but I had stopped feeling things. My vision pulsed from clear to blurry, and I barely felt the chakra signature that gave me hope. I saw the white hair, and I think I might have tried to get up and say something, but it felt like my throat wasn't working.

Shishou needed to know that Haku was in the trees, and he would pretend to kill Zabuza-san, but my entire body felt weak, and before I knew it I was face first in the dirt, and I couldn't feel anything. I could hear the fight, metal on metal, and as I faded into the darkness, I felt my fox and my raven, I knew they were angry because I heard them screaming, then I was gone.

Kakashi and team seven made decent time to the country of Wave. Tazuna was reserved, Mirai had gone ahead of them and Kakashi was agitated that they hadn't heard back from her. Sasuke and Naruto were both confident she was kicking butt, and Sakura was nervous that without Mirai, she would get hurt because Mirai gave her confidence.

The boat ride was quiet, unless you count Tazuna moaning about Gato and his family that was affected by his cruelty. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura were all disgusted with what Gato did to the people of wave, and they were all determined to do what they could to stop him.

Kakashi still wasn't paying much attention to them however, because he could feel remnants of Mirai's scent and faint chakra signature. It seemed like she wandered around town, gathering information. Tazuna got off the boat, and before they even made it to the town to go around and past it to his house, Kakashi felt it. A massive flare of chakra that wasn't Mirai's, but rivaled his power.

"Mirai-chan is in trouble. Make sure Tazuna-san gets home, but if he gets close to the fight stay hidden." And he was gone, running to find his student, the one that only wanted to keep her family together and be there for for them. Kakashi felt his chest start to tighten, because he could feel her chakra, but he knew she wasn't using any justu's. She was probably just dodging, biding her time. He would save her.

Naruto and Sasuke were both alarmed when Kakashi ran off, because he looked alarmed and scared for their sister. They both turned to Sakura.

"Sakura-chan we need to follow Kakashi-sensei, can you guard Tazuna-san? Maybe stay in town and keep him out of harms way?" Naruto-kun could barely feel anything, all he knew was the anger and the fear he felt for the person who welcomed him into her family, who became his sister and gave him a brother, a family.

Sakura started nodding right away. "You two make sure everything is okay, I'm sure Tazuna-san and I can find something in town to attend to. He will be safe." Her grip on her kunai tightened, and then she put it away. She would be in town with civilians, unless there was trouble she didn't need to have a weapon out.

Tazuna shrugged, he didn't seem to care. "We can shop for food. Tsunami-chan- my daughter, will probably need food to make dinner. Just make sure you keep everyone on your team safe. I liked that little runt, it was easy to tell how much she idolized your sensei. I'm sure she will be fine." He felt guilty, because it was his fault these ninja, who might not be the right level, were even here, and were in so much danger. This team was a family, even the pink haired girl who didn't completely fit in yet.

The boys looked at each other, and then took off in the direction of the massive chakra signatures.

I got there right as Mirai-chan was slammed into a tree, I could see her eyes widen, she saw me and she knew she would be okay. But she was trying to say something, and I barely caught her mumbling about a fake hunter nin. I turned and looked at the demon of the mist.

"Zabuza, I figure you are here to take out my client Tazuna-san?" My blood was ice, because he went after my apprentice, someone the Hokage trusted me to teach and become like myself one day. He wouldn't walk away from this fight, not if I could help it.

"Kakashi of the sharingan. So you finally appear. Your little pet there is rather adorable. Sacrificing herself for you, dragging me out of hiding to give you time to get here to save her. When you lose, I might just take her for myself. I know someone who wouldn't mind having a companion. And oh is she feisty, I like feisty." He chuckled, he was trying to draw a reaction out of Kakashi, he wanted him angry and irrational.

Kakashi reached up and lifted his headband from his eye, which reminded him that he couldn't fail. He failed a different team in a different time, and there was no way it was happening again. He could feel his other two students running to their location and he scowled slightly. He didn't want them in danger, but they might be able to help him.

For once the boys didn't rush into the clearing, they were on the edge for a few minutes, probably trying to figure out how to attack and making a plan. Kakashi couldn't tell what they were planning on doing, but he figured it would be something beneficial.

Zabuza lunged to attack, Kakashi flickered to the side. This was going to be a long fight.

Kakashi was sure every limb on his body was going to fall off, it had been a long fight, and just when the three of them thought they had Zabuza, the masked nin appeared and whisked him away. Kakashi knew it wasn't a real hunter ninja, Mirai had already told him it would happen, but there was nothing that any of them could do. All three of them were beaten and battered, Naruto and Sasuke had come up with an amazing plan and helped save Kakashi, they both even got a few hits in. But Zabuza was on such a high level, they were lucky they got out alive.

The boys carried Mirai and not long after the battle Sakura and Tazuna both walked up holding a single bag of groceries. Kakashi was barely able to keep his body up, but he needed to at least make it to Tazuna's house before he crashed. It wasn't a long walk, before Kakashi knew it they boys were laying Mirai on a bed, and he himself was crashing on the floor in the same room. They had both gone on so many missions with each other, it was natural and normal for them to sleep in either the same room or even the same tent. Only when it was cold did they do that though.

Who knew when Mirai would wake up.

Kakashi woke up before everyone else the next morning, Sasuke and Naruto were crashed in a room they were sharing on their own, and Sakura had a room by herself. Kakashi made sure everything around the house was secure, safe, it was three in the morning and he didn't know what woke him. When he walked back to his shared room, he saw Mirai curled up in a ball, she didn't seem okay.

Kakashi remembered her smashing into a tree, she probably hurt her head pretty bad. That would need to be looked at, but now wasn't the best time. He knew the diagnostic jutsu, that was about it, but he figured he could try to tell if there was anything wrong with her that needed immediate attention.

He carefully got Mirai on her back, and he did his best to see if there was anything wrong with her head. There wasn't much he could tell, he wasn't an expert in healing, but he could tell that her chakra was recovering. She might just need a days rest before being able to at least help out a little. Hopefully.

Everyone else woke up a few hours later, first Tsunami, who started to make breakfast, then Sasuke and Naruto, followed by Tazuna. There was a faint chakra signature in a different room, but the person didn't come out. Everyone had breakfast, and Tazuna headed for the bridge to work. Kakashi figured he could send Sasuke, who already was good at the jutsu he wanted to teach Naruto and Sakura. Mirai was still asleep, but she seemed better than the day before.

Sakura and Naruto picked up the jutsu easily, Naruto was familiar with it and Sakura had very good chakra control already. Kakashi was actually surprised, Mirai had done a pretty good job getting them ahead. He figured he could let them both go help out Tazuna, because they could carry stuff and help out any way they could.

It was like this for another day or so. Then something happened during the night that none of them were expecting.

I could feel my body in certain parts slowly coming back to normal, my whole body tingled, then it stopped, and other parts of my body came back. I couldn't hear anything for a while, then I could slowly make out what sounded like someone either in a kitchen or in a different room tinkering around, humming songs that reminded me of my mother.

I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew, I came to, and I could only hear the breathing of someone in deep sleep, and I could feel the chakra signatures of my friends in a room not too far. Sakura was also nearby, and so was Tazuna. Kakashi-shishou was in the same room with me, which gave me comfort. I recognized who must have been the female humming, it was very slight, and there was an even more slight signature on a different floor above us.

I tried to move, and I was surprised that I actually could. I opened my eyes, and immediately shut them, the pain went right down my spine, and I felt my body spasm I must have hit my head really hard. I knew where I was, and what was going on. I figured Zabuza-san got away, because Haku is crafty and I wouldn't be surprised. I didn't know how long I had been out, but I figured it hadn't been too long.

I was suddenly dying of thirst and since I didn't know the layout of this house, I sucked it up. I needed to get up, move around, and get a drink of water. Falling back asleep shouldn't be too hard, and I opened my eyes slowly this time. The room was dark, and it didn't hurt quite as much to open my eyes. I slowly sat up, and I could feel where I hit the tree. My back was killing me, and both my left leg and left arm felt like they went through hell.

I sighed. At least my stupidity didn't get me killed. I slowly stood up, and winced when my head throbbed again and my vision went red for a second. The chakra in my head didn't feel right, I tried to redirect it but it didn't seem to listen to me. I figured I could get water and ignore it for now, no one else was up and it wouldn't freak anyone else out right now. My body was sore, but I've trained harder and been in more pain than this before.

I slowly made my way to what I assumed was the kitchen, and as quietly as I could I opened cabinets to find a cup to drink water. I found one, and I filled it from the sink, and I sipped on it. I knew it was better than gulping it down, and it helped me control my breathing, stay calm. Something felt very off about everything. I rinsed the cup out and cleaned it with soap, and set it in a dish drain that was on the right of the sink. As I turned around, I saw a cloak, black and red and white, and my blood became ice. I started to follow it, but it was always just out of sight, turning corners, and eventually I was outside.

I swear it was Itachi-nii-san, and I walked up to him slowly. It didn't seem real, it couldn't be. Why would he be here? Why now? He shouldn't show up for a few more months at least. Not until after the chunin exams I think. Then he looked up, and I realized it wasn't him.

It was Madara.

But I was so torn, because I saw him and it looked like him, but I didn't sense him. I could normally at least tell if there was a body somewhere, even if I couldn't sense their chakra, I could sense what was around them. My eyes told me one thing but my senses told me another. I knew I shouldn't lash out, I tried to tell myself it wasn't real, but I didn't have my swords on me and I could feel the fear in every part of my body.

I started forming handsigns and I ran forward after a ball of flame hit him, but it went through him, and when I tried to hit him he just stood there. I realized I was crying, because this was the image of the man who I knew helped kill my family, he was behind a lot of the fucked up stuff in this world, he wasn't here but I was seeing him, and that was a bad, _bad_ thing for a ninja. Seeing something that wasn't there, hallucinating, was a sign of breakdown. Weakness. And I couldn't be weak. Not when my family needed me.

My legs gave out beneath me, and I felt the tears but I didn't think I was crying. I touched my face, and it was wet, and my vision was blurry, throbbing with my headache. It had to be because I hit my head. I didn't just see things, I had been fine since I was nine. Why break down now?

I could tell that Kakashi-shishou was up, he was concerned but I knew he was at least glad I was up. I got on my feet and wiped my face. I wasn't still crying, but my eyes were probably red, but not just because there had been tears. I looked at him and his eyes narrowed, my sharingan was activated then. I couldn't will them to go back to normal, nothing seemed to work.

I walked over to him, I could tell he was tired and just as sore as I was, but his team was still alive, and I hadn't completely lost it. Not yet at least. I wouldn't go down without a fight.

I woke up a few hours later, not in as much pain, but sore. My head didn't hurt. I looked at a mirror before I left the room, Kakashi-shishou was already up and in the living room, and my eyes were back to normal. For now at least. I grabbed a change of clothes and went to the bathroom. I didn't need to shower, I had wipes that would get me clean, and all I needed to really clean was my hair. It had gotten a bit longer, I needed to get it cut soon. I had long since found a way to keep my hair blonde, it wasn't hard.

After I was changed and no longer looking like I lived under a rock, I went to the living room and found Tsunami-san with Kakashi-shishou. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun were both still asleep, and Sakura-chan was just getting up. Shishou seemed glad to see me up, and Tsunami-san immediately jumped up and ran into the kitchen to get me food, I really hadn't eaten in a long time.

"Glad to see that you're up Mirai-chan. I know you are still probably tired and spent, but I want to get some training in with Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun and Sakura-chan. Would you be alright going with Tazuna-san to the bridge to keep an eye on them?" I knew he needed me there, team seven needed a lot work still to stand a chance against Zabuza. All I could really do was nod.

I knew it wouldn't be hard to keep an eye on him, and if I kept medicine with me it wouldn't be too bad. I was sore, so after I ate I went outside and stretched. I didn't work out much, my body was already suffering, I could do that when I felt better and had time on my hands to help Tazuna-san.

I could already tell he was more reserved after the fight, he seemed hesitant to talk to me, probably because I could have very well died. But I didn't blame him. I had been stupid, I thought I could beat someone far above my level. I could still see things on the edge of my vision, a flutter of black, and I would turn to look at it and there would be nothing there. I had to rely on my chakra sense, because something in my head was making me see things.

I sat on the wall of the bridge, watched the workers do their thing. A few of them recognized me, no one talked to me though. I guess it was because I was a ninja, and I had already made my own presence known. Tazuna-san was good at building. That's the main thing I noticed, his workers cared about the work, and Tazuna-san was good at inspiring them. When they took their lunch break, I took out the lunch Tsunami-san made for me and ate it while watching them and keeping a check on the chakra signatures around me, and watched them.

Tazuna-san went from small group to small group of workers, and made they were all okay, asked about their families, showed that he cared. Eventually he made his way over to me, and sat down on the wall with me.

I could feel how uneasy he was, he wasn't sure he would say the right thing, and he felt bad. So I talked first for him.

"Tazuna-san, I don't hate you. I look up to you, because you found a way to help the people you care about. I went and I did a stupid thing, if I had died, even if I had gotten hurt worse than I did, it was my fault. I know better. But now I know I'm in the bingo book, which I guess is kind of cool." I was staring down at the newly made cement, it was a nice day and the smell of the sea took me back to my old life. I looked at him, his jaw was slightly open, and he seemed shocked. "Besides, once I feel well, I will do what I can to help you build the bridge. I can do quite a bit, and it would help my stamina." I smiled, for the first time since we started the mission, it was nice to be here, helping. I didn't need to get stronger right now. I needed to be smart, and I needed to be here.

I would do what I could.

Tazuna-san got home before Shishou and the rest of the team, so I was left to help Tsunami-san out. She asked me to help with dinner, and doing so took me back to when I was five, except this time, I was tall enough to reach the counter, and I knew what I was doing. She had me saute beef and vegetables, there wasn't much vegetable to go around for how many people there were. But that was how it was in wave, only the rich got to eat well.

She didn't talk much to me, she was probably thinking about the bridge, civilian worries that I couldn't remember going through in my first life. It was nice to cook again, it had been a long time since I cooked with company, and after a day of being outside, swearing there was something moving around on the edge of my vision, it was nice to be inside where I knew it was safe.

Team seven got back right around sunset, and I was already getting ready for bed. Tsunami-san let me eat early, I told her I wasn't feeling well, I had a long few days, I just wanted to rest. All she could do was smile at me, it slightly creeped me out, but I knew she meant well. I wasn't used to being around civilians. They thought a different way than ninja, and being near her, it made feel like I was a criminal.

I knew I wouldn't just lose it, I had enough control, minus what happened the night before, but I wasn't awake fully and I had just woken up. I still saw things on the edge of my vision, it would be there and then be gone.

The next few days went exactly the same, I helped Tazuna-san with the bridge after my first day of resting. The other bridge workers saw me helping, and the fact that I was so much smaller than them, and I was carrying more weight than them, I think it made them work harder. At the house I made cookies, a lot of them, and since they were such a foreign thing, they went quickly, but everyone loved them.

I hadn't been dreaming the whole time, and that was something I knew was an indicator that something was wrong. I could normally at least visit my my mind palace, and plan things, scenarios and recall information on characters I was starting to forget, but when I tried to go there, it was like static. I knew how to get there, but there was a blockage. At first I didn't push against the blockage, I was afraid I would make my head hurt worse, but my head continued to throb worse and worse each day.

So the night after I made the cookies, I went onto the roof, I could see the stars, and I was alone. I was afraid that pushing would possibly make me lash out and see things, and if I wasn't near Kakashi-shishou, I could keep him from being worried, I closed my eyes, I could see the doors in my head, I wanted to slam them open, and just shoved.

It wasn't good enough, so I pushed again, putting all the anger I could at how I felt about the world, and the doors probably should have open, but instead my eyes did, and I could see things swirly across my vision, it was just shapes and swirls, red and black, weaving in front of me. I sat up, and they kept weaving, but they started to move around the trees near the house, and in a sudden fit, I was sure there was something behind me, something or someone that wanted to kill me, and I felt myself closing up, my chakra in my chest hurt I was pulling it in so hard, and I did the only thing I could.

I ran.


	11. Splurge

**Splurge**

 _Don't listen to it, keep going._

I ran harder, faster, the forest was dark, but I could kind of sense what was around me.

I was alone. Physically I was at least, I felt like there was someone right on my tail, so close that if I stopped they were right there.

It was myself. Although I didn't understand how I was following myself, it was like a part of me I couldn't control, the part of me that did was necessary for the moment.

I eventually got myself turned back around, and found myself right near our temporary abode. There were lights on inside, I could hear laughter. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun were actually happy, not fighting and trying to be dominant over each other

I was making a difference, it felt slow to me, but imagining how it was without me, without someone who helped the two of them connect, it was a massive difference.

Whatever ghosts wanted to haunt me, they could. I knew I was doing a good thing here, interfering the way I could.

"Naruto-kun! Get your butt back over here!" I scowled at the blonde, he was trying to get the other strangers at the beach to give him candy. Shishou told us to take a day to relax, because we all have been training and working as hard as possible with the bridge. Sakura-chan wanted to go swimming, so naturally Naruto-kun also wanted to, and that meant we all were going.

"Naruto-kun, they can't spare candy for you. We have our own food, and since you were annoying them, why don't you go take them this bento?" I had a saccharine smile on my face, because Naruto-kun really needed to learn how to act like, somewhat at least, an adult. Sure he was twelve, but he was a ninja now, and he needed to act like one. He was oblivious to the fact that these people had nothing, and he wanted what they had. Not in a greedy way, but in a way that was just him.

We hadn't been in the village long, I made sure the three of them at least stretched this morning. Sure they didn't have to train, but they had no excuse to be lazy. I tried to tell myself that I was helping them, but I still felt like I was acting like their mother. I really shouldn't have to do that, since now they should be on the same level that I'm on. But leaving them on their own, it sounded horrible to me.

I tried to be happy while we were at the beach, I wasn't in the water with them, they wanted to actually swim around and have fun, I was too tense to even think about letting my guard down. I kept an eye on the street and the bridge from the rock I was sitting on, I knew we should have a few more days but I couldn't help but be nervous. I still wasn't back to my old self, and I wasn't looking forward to a fight. Not right now.

I knew the three of them would be tired when they did finally get out of the water, so I got out one of my scrolls that had food stored in it. I didn't have many sweets in it, they really didn't store in seals well, but I had chocolate, which I would give to them, and I got some jerky for myself. We had only been here a week since everything happened, and I couldn't recall when Zabuza should reappear. I think Kakashi-shishou was going to have me go look for him, but I knew he was hesitant after what happened last time. I would talk to him about it later. We needed to get stuff moving.

I ended up talking to Shishou before we even went back to Tazuna-san's house. Shishou had noticed the civilians in town were getting edgy again, and he wanted me to either track down Zabuza-san, or Gato. He explicitly told me I would not be engaging either of them, but since anything could happen anyway, I needed a way to stay in contact with him. I suggested I make a clone and leave it at the house, and if anything went wrong it would disappear and he would know.

Kakashi-shishou wasn't enthused, but he knew it was better than nothing. I suggested he put his chakra in one of my tracking seals, and that he have a tag that I can detonate from afar, but it would mostly let off smoke. Then he could track me down, and that seemed to be a better idea to him.

I didn't leave until the next morning, I wasn't going to be gone more than half the day. That's what Shishou and I agreed on, and I knew better than to not listen to him after what happened the last time. I didn't go into the forest first, I went into the village and used a camouflage genjutsu to lurk around and find the thugs that worked for Gato. It didn't take long. They stayed in town for maybe an hour, then they went down a trail that weaved through the forest, and I left seals that I could follow to bring Shishou. He didn't want me attacking, he just wanted me to look, be eyes and get back safe. My body was still recovering, and I didn't want to even think about fighting right now.

I wasn't bothering to pay attention to what the idiots were saying, I was making sure there were no ninja nearby, nobody to notice me. I still made my chakra disappear though, because there was a chance Zabuza or Haku would be here, and running into them in my state would be a nightmare.

They walked up to a compound that very obviously looked like a hidden lair, except it wasn't hidden, a random building in the middle of a forest with nothing else around it wasn't conspicuous at all. They thought they were sly, but no they really weren't.

I wasn't sure if I should actually follow them into the building, I could get stuck or lost, maybe being paranoid for once would be helpful. I couldn't sense anything much in the building, but then I realized there were two faint signatures in what might have been a different building. I carefully crept my way towards it, and I made sure my own signature wouldn't be seen. Anticipation was building in the base of my skull, I didn't want to run into the two of them but I had a feeling I would.

I didn't recognize the building, it was more like a tower, but I knew the chakra signatures when I got close enough. I didn't want to go up the tower and look through the window, it made my stomach twist just thinking about it, but I knew I needed to see what state Zabuza was in. But I knew they would likely see me, or sense me, or do some weird ninja shit and know where I was.

I ran up the side of the tower quickly, I still had the genjutsu activated, and I was praying they wouldn't see me. The brief glimpse I got through the window, Zabuza was standing up looking out a window on the other side of the tower, and Haku was doing something with scrolls and herbs. I perched on the top of the tower and sighed. They would probably be in a condition to fight soon, I just hoped team seven was ready for them. I planned on staying in the background, kind of at least, I could even help out Tsunami-san and Inari-kun.

He was actually a very cute child, but he was so full of angst. I hadn't had a chance to talk to him yet, but I knew Naruto-kun did. I shook my head, this wasn't the time to think about this. I need to mark the building, and high tail it out of here.

And I was going to, really. But I heard them talking, the window was open, and the sound of voices made me freeze. When I focused I could actually make out what they were saying.

"We should present ourselves tomorrow Zabuza-san. The ninja team guarding Tazuna-san is growing bored, complacent. They were playing in water like children yesterday. Removing them will be easy. The apprentice of the jounin is still suffering from her injuries and she won't be a problem to get out of the way." Haku's voice was monotone, he really didn't seem like he cared at all about much of anything.

I heard Zabuza sniff, then he started to laugh. "Oh Haku do I have a surprise for you. The mini-kashi is on our roof. I don't think we should hurt her though. We could scare the ever living daylights out of her." his voice became cold, and I could feel his demon chakra, and it made my muscles seize, because the last time I felt it I almost died. I put a marker on the ceiling, and miles away let my clone poof away. They needed to know there would probably be contact. And since my chakra was on tags leading them to where I was.

I stopped concealing my chakra and shunshined into the room below me. I didn't want them to try and attack me, if I could catch them off guard at least a little but, maybe I could just talk. Talking wouldn't be bad. Haku didn't jump, and Zabuza just turned his head to give me a lazy stare.

"All I ask is that the two of you don't attack our client. For all you know the man you are working for isn't going to hold his side of your bargain. You are missing ninja after all, and he is quite greedy with his money." I couldn't hear either of them breathing, but I knew they could hear me. My heartbeat was thumping in every nerve of my body, and all I wanted was to get out of this room, out of this forest, and go hide in Tazuna-san's attic.

"You make an interesting point bo-"

I didn't even let him say his sentence. "Zabuza-san, I'm a girl. I know you and Haku-san are both male, so please use the correct pronouns when talking to, or about me." It was a common mistake, and I was getting rather sick of it. Maybe I would let my hair grow out when I got back to the village after all.

Zabuza was giving me a slightly amused look, maybe he thought he was about to have fun? I didn't want to think about that very hard. They could both step on me like a bug, I mean maybe I could stand a chance against Haku, but not right now, not when I'm still hurt. I was being snarky with them, but that's because I was scared and I do stupid things when I'm scared.

Shishou already knew something was up, and he should be able to follow me here, but he shouldn't barge in before he knew what was going on. I thought that maybe just talking to them could change something, maybe they wouldn't go at us as hard on the bridge, maybe they would turn now, hurt Gato worse now. I didn't know, but I knew I would run as soon as it looked like he wanted to kill me.

Haku walked over to me, I tensed, but it didn't seem like he wanted to hurt me at all. He brushed his hand through my hair and hummed. I knew I was turning red, because no one ever plays with my hair like this. No one ever has.

"You should let your hair grow out. Make your own shadow instead of living in your masters. Be your own person." I felt a shiver go down my spine, because that wasn't the kind of thing someone who wants to kill you would say to you. At all. It made me on edge and I almost couldn't handle it.

Zabuza had a very odd look in his eyes, but then he looked away and watched the forest again. Haku walked over by his side, and I was actually left just behind them, and while I knew I couldn't do anything to them if I tried, they were showing me their backs. Either they really weren't scared of me, or they trusted me. I figured I was just too small of a bug. Since neither of them seemed like they were going to say anything, I shunshined back to the roof, and took off.

I could tell Shishou was on his way, and once he felt my chakra, which I was no longer bothering to hide, he stopped and waited for me. He looked calm, serious, slightly bothered when he saw me. He was crouching on a branch when he saw me, and I stopped next to him.

"They are both in good enough shape to fight. I overheard them say they would attack soon, and Zabuza-san somehow knew I was on the roof. The building they were in isn't far from a compound that I'm assuming is Gato's." I kept my eyes on the ground, my body was still in a state of fear from simply being near them. I knew I was relatively safe, but part of me still felt like I was in danger.

Shishou nodded, turns out he had a plan. "I'm going to check out the building that is nearby is indeed related to Gato. The rest of the team is with Tazuna-san at the bridge. Go meet up with them, you call the shots until I get back. I shouldn't be long." Before I could even say anything, Shishou shot off into the trees. I sighed, because it didn't give me much choice to not go, and for all I knew Zabuza and Haku could be heading out right now because I was there.

When I made it to the bridge, I was surprised to see all three of them helping out with the bridge, not because I didn't expect them to help, but because they were working together as a team very well. I decided to just walk up to Tazuna-san, because he was also just watching the bridge be built, and I didn't want to scare him or startle any of the workers.

I could tell he was proud, he knew his work would help the people he cared about, and I was just glad to be alive at this point. I didn't know if I should tell him that Zabuza and Haku would be coming back soon, but I decided against it because if he looked scared then his workers would see, and they might act odd then too. So I just stood there with him, and watched the bustle. There were enough people working that me helping really wouldn't make a difference, and I was likely to just get in the way.

I was relieved when the end of the day came, no sign of the missing ninja, and I could feel Shishou's chakra in the village. Tazuna-san didn't need to get groceries apparently, it had been done earlier in the day by Sakura-chan. I couldn't tell that anything was wrong, not in the village at least. When Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, Sakura-chan, Tazuna-san and I finally left the bridge, Kakashi-shishou dropped down from a roof and walked with us back to the house.

Dinner was uneventful, Shishou didn't enclose the information I gave him today to the team, so I stayed quiet and didn't mention anything. Inari was quiet as usual while we all ate, and he kept giving us dirty looks, he didn't like that we were here, possibly bringing them more trouble. I went outside to stretch, and he actually seemed to be following me. I couldn't really tell, at least at first. When it got dark and I realized he was still there, I knew he was probably thinking up things to say, to try and convince me that being a ninja wasn't worth it.

I was mid stretch, and I appeared behind him. He turned suddenly, he didn't expect me to engage him in conversation I guess. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a bar of chocolate. Sure he didn't like me, but all kids liked candy right? If he didn't like this I was sure I had something in one of my scrolls he would like. Beef jerky, dried fruit, even some other types of chocolate, but I was reluctant to give that away.

"My team won't let anything else bad happen to your family. I know Naruto-kun is a bit of an idiot, but he means well. So does Sasuke-kun, and I'm sure you know Sakura-chan cares. I can be cold, but I just care about those I love. I've seen horrible things, worse than you can imagine, and even Naruto-kun has had to go through hell for things he can't even be blamed for." I broke off a piece of chocolate and handed it to him. "I know you have been through alot, and I can promise you that so long as my team is here, you will be safe. Tomorrow might be a rough day. Naruto-kun is going to stay with you and Tsunami-san until she knows what groceries are needed, and he will let Sakura-chan know with a clone, and after she gets the food they will switch out."

Inari-san looked confused, he didn't see how that could be a bad day, so I kept explaining. "There is a high chance there could be a fight tomorrow. Naruto-kun will be here in case anything here happens, and if anything does happen, you and Tsunami-san are supposed to go with him to the bridge, or at least somewhere safe where you can figure out what's going on. Now, I need to get some rest, and you should too." Before he could even argue, I picked him up and put him on my shoulders.

I knew he had never had siblings, and this was something he probably did with the man that was a father to him, who Gato killed, and I wanted Inari to know he can trust us. I put him down before when we got to the front door, and he actually seemed to somewhat happily run up the stairs to his room.

I walked into the bedroom I share with Shishou, and I was surprised to see Naruto-kun sitting on the edge of the futon that was in there. I saw the look on his face, the expression on Shishou's, and I knew what had happened. Shishou told Naruto-kun, I wasn't here for him and I knew he was starting to have a meltdown, and I wanted to do everything in my power to make it not as bad as I could tell it was going to be. I sat next to him on the futon, I leaned my head on his shoulder and gave him a hug.

"Naruto-kun, I want you to know that I've known the truth about you the entire time I've known you. And guess what? You are still one of the few people I really care about. You are nicer than anyone I know, and you try harder than anyone I know. No one else has to know that you don't want to have know-" I suddenly had an elbow jabbing my side, I easily ducked underneath him, but I was still caught off guard.

"No! Mirai you don't get it! I'm a monster! There is something inside me that can hurt you and Sasuke-baa and Sakura-chan and what if I can't control it? I mean, the village hates me because of it, but I know people can still love me because you and Sasuke-kun do- and-" He started sobbing, he covered his face with his hands, he really wasn't a pretty crier, but I had seen him cry a few times so I wasn't surprised.

I pulled him into a hug, and I finally got to voice something that has been in my head for a long time. "Naruto-kun, you should know that if either of us is a monster, its me. I've killed people, I've done things I don't even want to think about. On my first mission I killed someone, I didn't even think about it, I just let the other me take over, the one that can survive, and then I was alive. But just because I'm a monster, doesn't mean I can't try to atone for it by helping people. The person I killed? He was a rogue ninja. He could have killed you or Sasuke-kun, he could have killed an entire village with his partner, but I stopped him with Kakashi-shishou. It's why I have nightmares, why I don't always sleep well at night and spend a lot of time training instead."

He didn't actually answer me, but he pulled me closer into a real hug, so I figured he understood what I meant. I knew he would need to be told, and the fact that he wasn't reminded me that since he didn't know, Mizuki still existed, he was still a problem, and I hadn't realized he was. So much was different now that I existed, I didn't know how to fix everything. I needed to learn.

Naruto-kun didn't get up with the rest of us, and like I guessed we went to the bridge with Tazuna-san without him. Sakura-chan and Sasuke-kun were both oblivious that anything would end up happening, but Kakashi-shishou and I were both on edge. I wasn't surprised that we got to the bridge first, but it was misty and cold. It had been warm and nice in the mornings up to know, and the air itself was actually soaked with chakra.

I knew who it was before we even got there, his chakra was so distinct and it made my hair stand on end being near it. I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, my nightmares had been getting worse the past couple of weeks, because danger followed us around as it was, not to include everything I already knew was going to happen.

The mist was so thick I was having an impossible time sensing anything in it, but Tazuna-san was oblivious and walked into it without a thought, rambling on about what structure of the bridge they would be working on today. I didn't know if we needed to be super close to him, or far enough away that we could attack, or what, and I could feel my chest tighten, because I was terrified, and I was weak. I wouldn't stand a chance if he attacked me first, and he already knew that.

Sakura-chan was right next to Tazuna-san when I felt the flicker of chakra, it was faint and then it was massive, I was behind Tazuna-san and Kakashi-shishou was in front of me. Sasuke-kun was near him, and Zabuza-san and Haku were standing a little ways in front of us. My chest started hurting even more, it was the chakra in the air, it felt like it was reaching into my lungs and crushing them.

"Ah, Kakashi-san, nice to see you. I would take better care of your pet, she seems like she is going to keel over any second now." I couldn't see his eyes, but I knew he was staring at me and just the weight of his gaze made it harder to breathe than it already was. I knew I wasn't trembling, I knew what was happening and I was trying not to give in. There was another part of me, the one that would do anything possible to survive, and if she took over, it took over, I didn't know who I would end up hurting.

I heard Kakashi-shishou hum, he was putting on a front that everything was fine and he could handle it, but I could feel the slight vibrations in his chakra that proved he was worried, he knew I could easily lose it, he saw me do it a few times when I was stuck in a corner. "Sasuke-kun, why don't you prove to Haku how strong the newest Konoha genin are?" I heard my brother grunt, I saw him move forward and I could hear them clashing kunai and senbon, but my eyes were glued on Zabuza. I knew Sasuke-kun would make it, I knew Naruto-kun would show up and help him, I didn't even need to be here and my team would survive. My being here could cause it all to crumble.

I could tell that Kakashi-shishou wanted to keep his ground, he was between Zabuza and our client, and he knew I wouldn't be able to hold off Zabuza if he went after him and Zabuza went for Tazuna. "Shishou do you want me to-" Shishou cut me off with a hiss, and I saw him giving me hand signals. He wanted me to try and charge Zabuza, get him away from the bridge so they can actually fight.

I grunted, and I took out both of my swords as I ran forward, but as fast I moved towards him, Zabuza was behind me with the Executioner's Blade at my neck. It was so close to cutting me that if I even swallowed it would cut me. But boy was I glad when Zabuza was suddenly holding his sword against a puddle that collapsed on the ground. I was actually behind him, sharingan active, and him turning around to find me gave me the opening I needed to put him under a genjutsu I didn't dare use on Shishou.

He froze, his body was still holding him up, and in the few seconds he was out I put all the force I could into a kick, he might not go flying but he could at least get away from the bridge. He really didn't go far at all before he was on his feet again and shouting a stream of curses at me and Kakashi-shishou.

"I don't know what you leaf nin think it right to teach your genin, but even that was a bit twisted you fucks!" I could feel his killer intent in the air, but it didn't make me cower, it made even more anger well up in my chest, because I wasn't strong enough to take him out myself, and I had to rely on Kakashi-shishou to beat him.

Zabuza and Shishou squared off out of my ear shot, I was between them and Tazuna-san and Sakura-chan. I wasn't sure what to do or where to back anyone up, and I must have been frozen for several minutes before I took off towards Sasuke-kun. I could feel his chakra starting to putter, and if Haku does actually hurt him, his death is going to be more painful than anything I've gone through.

I had barely moved however, and Naruto-kun made his entrance. He didn't have a huge speech like he did before, I made sure he knew to at least try and be stealthy, but when he poofed in there was smoke everywhere, and it made it even harder for me to see. I could hear him yelling, then I heard Haku talking, but I was having a hard time staying there. By staying there I mean actually paying attention to what was going on. My head was throbbing, I had activated my sharingan when I put Zabuza-san under the genjutsu, and I couldn't redirect the chakra, it wouldn't turn off.

My face felt wet at sticky, and I didn't feel my hand when I reached up to touch it. I could see the red on my hands, feel it even, but my face was numb and it was getting even harder to think. It suddenly felt like my feet weren't under me, and I realized I was on my knees on the ground. I reached behind me, I could feel something jabbing me in my back. I turned my head, and I was surprised to see Gato and his men on the other end of the bridge. One of them must have thrown something, or maybe it had happened earlier in the fight?

I pulled it out, at least I tried to. I could feel myself slipping even more, and as my vision went black I felt Sasuke-kun's chakra flare up, along with more screaming and yelling, from both sides, and then I was gone.

Kakashi kept Zabuza away from the bridge, at least as much as he could until Naruto appeared. Mirai had run off to help Sasuke, so Zabuza was able to try and get close to Tazuna to kill him. Kakashi didn't let him of course, he shunshined in the way and blocked his sword wit h a kunai.

Kakashi could hear Haku telling Naruto about his childhood, but it gets interrupted by Sakura yelling that Gato and his men had hurt Mirai. In that instant both Naruto and Sasuke forgot about Haku, because the client was being protected by Sakura and Kakashi, but their sister was in danger, and they both went to attack Gato and his men.

Zabuza actually ran after them, he didn't want them to kill the man with his money, not before he was paid.

"Stupid ninja, only doing missions for profit. You are all disposable, look at you Zabuza, supposed demon of the mist, can't even beat a few Konoha genin. I'm sure my men can't get rid of you too, they already took care of the white haired brat-" Before Zabuza even had a chance to say anything, Sasuke interrupted Gato.

"YOU BASTARD! SHE IS THE ONLY OTHER REAL FAMILY I HAVE, YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST GET RID OF HER?!" There was suddenly a kunai in his hand, and he was running forward, shortly followed by Naruto, whose pupils had turned red, and also Zabuza who was cackling, because the men didn't stand a chance, not when they had a vengeful Uchiha, a pissed off Jinchuriki and a demon of the mist against them at the same time.

This left Sakura, Kakashi, Haku, and Tazuna all standing behind them, gaping at the fight. It had taken less than a minute for everything to get turn around, and they were no longer enemies. Sakura could tell the fight between them was over, and ran to check on Mirai. It seemed to shake the other three out of their stupor, because they quickly followed.

Since Haku was very good at helping Zabuza get better from near death, he did a quick scan of Mirai, her head- since the blood obviously came out of her eyes, and also her spinal cord, because a kunai was still lodged in it. It wasn't in deep, but it was deep enough to hit the nerves that caused her to pass out. The blood coming out of her eyes was because of her last fight, there was some sort of concussion, Haku wasn't able to heal much, but he did what he could.

"All she wanted was to keep her family safe, and I think it's safe to say she is what brings them together." Haku was genuinely concerned about the girl, she was only getting stronger because she felt her purpose was to keep her brothers safe. He looked at Kakashi. "You need to make her take a break. Her family is able to protect itself now, she needs to get better and she needs to become her own person. You are an admirable idol, but she needs to maintain her emotions. I believe it is safe to say that Zabuza-sama and I will be finding a safe quiet place to settle down, and we will not bother with these tedious missions."

There wasn't much anyone could say to that, shortly afterwards Zabuza walked over to Haku, who had moved to the edge of the bridge. They deliberated for a moment, and the two took off. Kakashi could only sigh, because now there were dead bodies, a dead Gato, and an injured Mirai. Along with two pissed off genin who just went all out for their family. This would be a long couple of days.

Kakashi cleared the bodies from the bridge, cleaned it of blood even, and let the boys sit with their sister at Tazuna's house. Tazuna wasn't in much danger now, but work had to be called off for the day so Kakashi could get rid of the bodies. The boys both knew Mirai would be okay, but Kakashi was going to summon his nin dogs to take her to Konoha, she needed medical treatment as soon as possible, and until the bridge was built they couldn't leave Tazuna, as per the mission.

When Kakashi did make it back, he was surprised to see both of them sitting near Mirai while she slept. She looked like she was in pain, but there was nothing any of them could do for her. She would make it to Konoha probably by the next day, and hopefully there wouldn't be any lasting damage.

Sasuke and Naruto were both sad to see her leave on the back of a giant dog, but Kakashi tried to convince them she would want the two of them to train, to get stronger for her. Sasuke looked resentful for a moment when Kakashi said that, like he thought it was stupid his sister had to be strong enough to protect him, but Kakashi didn't say anything.

He should have.

The dog that took Mirai back to Konoha was afraid his speed would be too much for her, but she seemed to get upset if he slowed down, like she knew she needed help, even though there was no way she could know what was going on. There were a few times Mirai started to mumble, something about not giving in, doing what's right. Then she would grunt, grimace, and go back under.

My mind palace wasn't mine anymore, it was all backwards colors, the sky was the ground, and the ground felt like an ocean. My stomach felt like I should be puking, but I knew I wasn't moving, and I kept trying to gain my footing, which just made me fall more. Eventually when I let myself fall, into the ocean that changed from yellow to green to red, the world stopped spinning and I finally landed on something that didn't shake or wave, and I could smell something that was clean, no longer a forest.

I didn't know where I was, or if I was awake or dreaming, even if I was really me, and just like that it was like I was looking in a mirror, but instead of me there was a girl who had dark eyes with red rimming the iris, and nothing but pain in her eyes. Behind her, or me if it was a mirror, I could see the events of the too soon to be future, but it wasn't like I remembered it, I saw myself fighting someone with silver hair on a training ground in Konoha, then I saw me standing in a room with genin who were taking a test, and then it all started to swirl.

My head was swimming, and I was looking into the eyes of the girl who looked like me, but seemed more determined to live, more determined to do what was needed to stay alive, to keep my brother safe. She reached forward, or I reached forward, and there was a hand gripping the front of my shirt, and just like that there were two of me, falling through a sky that was actually sky, and landing in a room that resembled my mind palace, but half of the room wasn't right, wrong colors and I could feel the mood from it- it was all wrong.

I looked at the other me, and she tilted her head, I don't know why I didn't expect her, me, to talk, but she did, and I thought my ears might explode, because I knew it was my voice but I wasn't the one talking, but at the same time I was.

"It's up to us I guess isn't it?"


	12. The other side of living

**The Other Side Of Living**

I don't remember waking up in the hospital, but when I did I was up, and I was holding a pen in my hand, I wasn't sure for what, so I set it on the table near what must be my hospital bed. It looked slept in, but I was near the window, but I figured there was a reason.

The base of my skull tingled, and I realized there was someone in the doorway before I felt their chakra. I turned, and I was surprised to see Iruka-san, he looked like he didn't expect me to be up, but when he saw that I was he smiled.

"Welcome back to Konoha Mirai-chan. The nurses will be glad you are up. They didn't think you would be getting up soon. They healed the damage done to your spine, and your concussion might leave you fuzzy headed for a few days, but you are all cleared to get discharged. I was just coming to leave a note that you need to see the Hokage when you wake up. But since you are up, I'll treat you to some ramen and then we will go together, okay?" He gave me a tight smile, there was something off about what his actual motive was, but I didn't want to ask and not be able to eat.

I was still wearing my own clothing, so I put on my shoes and grabbed my bag off the floor. The pockets were all sealed, so I knew my stuff was still there. I was quiet while I followed Iruka-sensei, I hadn't been talkative before, and I wasn't feeling any different now. I knew there was something off, like there was tension, but I couldn't imagine why. When we got outside, I realized I wouldn't be able to eat ramen, not with Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun, and I was rooted to the ground.

"I-Iruka-sensei, would it be okay if we just went to see the Hokage? I'd like to go home sooner rather than later." He looked at me startled, like he didn't expect me be polite, or even talk. He smiled again, still like there was something wrong, but he nodded and led the way. He didn't want to talk, it was obvious. He hadn't been my teacher for five years, he never really knew me, just that I graduated and became a killer sooner than the rookie nine. I could very well be the same strength as him, in fact I think I was.

When we got to the Hokage's office, he knocked on the door and opened it for me, but didn't follow me in, and shut the door behind me. The Hokage had been talking to an Anbu, who upon seeing me disappeared into the ceiling. He was shocked to see me, that was another red flag that something was up. Everyone was looking at me like I was a ticking time bomb, and they were surprised I wasn't on a rampage.

"Ah Mirai-chan, glad to see that you are up-"

"Are you Hokage-sama? Iruka-sensei gave me a cold shoulder, like he expected me to run off or do something stupid. Is there something going on I don't know about that I need to know?" I didn't realize how cold my voice came out until after I spoke, there was no emotion, nothing behind it that could be a person. The Hokage just stared at me, he must have been expecting a docile Uchiha, who was in pain from a mission. But it was like someone replaced my chest with ice, I couldn't feel anything for the man, and I didn't want to.

"Actually Mirai-chan, I got a message from Kakashi-san. He thinks you need time off, to recover and possibly get help from the Yamanaka, he is worried you are pushing yourself too hard. Your brother isn't a child anymore, he can defend himself, as can Naruto-kun. I am assigning you to a team that will be helping with the Chunin exams." The Hokage did look troubled while he talked, but I really didn't understand why, he couldn't really care about me, not when he was part of the reason everything in the village was so fucked up.

He stood and walked over to the window, I couldn't feel anything, I knew I should be upset because Kakashi was the one I was depending on to get better, stronger, and he was deserting me. Because he thought I was pushing myself too hard. If he knew what was to come, he would push me even harder, because I'm nowhere near strong enough to help with anything.

"Since you fought against Zabuza-san, and all the ninja in the village know you really aren't genin strength, Kakashi suggested an in field promotion. That way you can still do high level missions, but not be in any real danger-" I couldn't stop the anger that was welling up in my chest, because the Hokage was brushing me off like a was a child who needed to be babied, like I was useless and not needed.

I could feel the presence of another ninja, lots of chakra, it reminded me of velvet, smooth and relaxing, but it put me on edge. The ninja quite literally poofed into existence, sitting on the Hokage's desk, and I wasn't surprised to see Anko. I had seen her around the village, but I hadn't ever talked to her, and I didn't plan on it. As soon as she was in the room, I was gone, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, I wanted to scream but I didn't want to be followed, and I pulled myself into a ball, I was about to break and I didn't want anyone else to see it.

Too bad there are some people you can't stop.

Mizuki didn't expect something like this to just fall in his lap, not after what happened with his failed plan to get the scroll, he wasn't able to and Orochimaru wasn't pleased with him. He was at the bottom of the totem pole, trying to scramble his way up, and he didn't expect something like this to happen so soon.

The other Uchiha brat was back in the village, and it was easy to see she was on the edge of breaking, and it might be information enough to get on Orochimaru's good side. Mizuki used his normal channel to get the information where it needed to go, he didn't actually talk to Orochimaru, but there was someone in the village who would talk to him for him, be the in between.

Upon hearing the news, Orochimaru felt an odd emotion, desire mixed with happiness. His target was in reach, he could almost feel the success that would soon be his. Too bad Mizuki was in the way, he would poke around where he shouldn't get caught and give up his name. He told Kabuto to take care of him, but also get the Uchiha under his wing. To use her anger to get her to side with him, to do whatever he needed to do.

I was throwing my frustration into kicking and punching everything possible, I wasn't near people or houses so I didn't have to worry about hurting anyone, but when I felt the sick chakra, it was Mizuki, I made sure I knew how to tell if he was around when I was in the academy, I felt even more sick to my stomach. I didn't want to deal with him, and I was actually surprised when I felt a different chakra signature appear, and just like that Mizuki was gone.

That was my first indicator that something was up, and I could feel my control slip for a second, but I gripped the shuriken in my hand hard enough to cut, and I was back. I could tell the person was moving closer to me, and I knew it was bad because I didn't know who it was, but they were obviously strong enough to easily take out a jonin, I didn't stand a chance.

 **You'll be fine- no matter how much you want to be alone you never are-** I closed my fist again, I felt the blood run down my fingers and onto the ground, and the world around me seemed to sway. I couldn't hold on, but maybe letting loose would actually help, maybe I would live another day.

I saw the white hair and the circular glasses, and everything around me started to move even faster that it was before. I hadn't given in yet, but I shot forward and threw what I had on me at him, the man who would ultimately end everything and everyone I cared about, the one who would be responsible for so much destruction, who would go after my brother.

I didn't make it far before I saw his foot in front of me, and before I could stop I was flying through the air, but instead of hitting a tree this time I managed to skid onto my feet, kicking up dust. I looked up and I saw him, he didn't have an expression at first, but then he was smirking, that annoying cocky smirk that I already knew meant he wanted to humiliate me, but I knew there was nothing I could do to stop him. I was a toy at this point, the fact that I wasn't dead already meant he found me entertaining.

Moonlight flashed off his glasses, and I barely felt his chakra move towards me when I was thrown backwards. I knew he had chakra scalpels, but he was so much stronger than I was. I didn't want to give in, but each time I was knocked back I felt my grip loosen, and when I landed on the ground, it was no longer there.

I was still fighting, it was like there was static feedback in my head, and if I stopped fighting it I was going probably do things I would regret. I blacked out for a few seconds intermittently, each time I did I wasn't on the ground, I was up and moving, not in control, then something hit my chest, it felt like a hammer knocked out all the air and I suddenly couldn't breathe.

It left me staring up at the stars, and if I didn't feel like I was about to die I would have probably enjoyed it, but the pain from whatever hit my chest had brought me back from whatever it was. I tried to roll over, to get back on my feet, but my body was heavy and I was slow, I didn't move in time again, and when I hit the ground I decided not to move, there was no point. He could kill me, there was nothing I could do.

"Pathetic. You are what Konoha thinks is chunin material? You are nothing, I could ruin your life and your brothers in my sleep. I don't see why you should be given a chance, but I guess you do have potential. It took you longer to give up than it did the others…" I couldn't see him, but his voice trailed off, like he had better stuff to think about. I slowly sat up, slowly got to my feet, my entire body hurt, worse than when I went against Zabuza, I could tell the muscles in my body were torn up, just from him being near me.

"You think I would-" I tried to get it out, but the words got stuck in my throat, and I started coughing too hard to keep talking. I got my breath back, and tried to give Kabuto the most dead look I could, because I wanted nothing to do with him. "I would never accept help from you. You might be strong, but I want to be here for my family, I'm not going to let you be a lap dog for that bastard, I'm not going to turn on my village even though they would deserve it if I did."

I didn't expect him to start laughing, but he did, and I really didn't understand why, I wanted him to go away, I wasn't going to accept his help. Kabuto was suddenly not in front of me, and I could feel a kunai on my neck. He was too close to me, but I was terrified to move, terrified to even breathe.

"You don't have a choice Mirai-chan. This village isn't going to shape you the right way, they are going to hide you away and keep you from touching anything you can break. If you let me help you, if you join me and the person I work for, we can make sure you are strong enough. It won't be free of course, but we will make sure you can stand your ground. Even if you say no now, you will never be alone. I can be wherever you are, and you will say yes.

I sighed. Kabuto wasn't going to leave me alone, and if the two of them decided they wanted me in their pocket, I wouldn't be able to fight against it. The fact that it's me Orochimaru is after now, and not my brother, I felt relieved enough that I didn't care if they used me, because it put me right next to the person I would need to kill, the person who would try to take everything I cared about.

"Fine. You win Kabuto-san. I know when to accept defeat, just swear to me you won't touch Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun." I knew that if he promised it it wouldn't mean shit, they could turn on that as soon as they got bored of it, but it would make me feel a little bit better, if I thought they were safe. I wouldn't be afraid to disappear, or if it came down to it, leave altogether.

Kabuto chuckled, and the kunai was gone. I could feel the medical chakra, he was healing the damage he did to my body. As he healed me I could feel my body go numb, not because he was doing it to me, but because I was realizing what it meant. My own life wasn't even really mine anymore, my mere existence would depend on them. I was their chess piece, and if they were done with me, then I was done.

So I couldn't let them be done with me.

When I got home later that night there was a note on my door, in a messy scrawl, informing me that I needed to show up the next day at the academy. I figured I would end up with boring monotonous work, maybe have someone nice to talk to if I was lucky.

I didn't sleep well, and once again when I woke up I wasn't in my bed, but I was in the kitchen holding a kunai, god knows what I was going to do with it. I figured then that I needed to get out of the house, not just for a walk, but actually move. Technically I could live anywhere in the Uchiha compound. I just hadn't, because I wanted to be near Sasuke-kun. But if I was near them now I would probably hurt them, and I didn't want Kabuto near them.

I had my stuff moved before the sun was up, and before I even left to go do what was needed at the academy the house was clean, and the food that was going to go bad and needed to be eaten soon was in my new, very small, house.I wouldn't even really call it a house, it was half the size of what I grew up in, and on the edge of the compound.

All I did at the academy was make copies of waivers and what I assumed to be the test, and make sure the classrooms weren't cluttered. The people around me could almost tell I would kill them if they got near me, if they even tried to talk to me. I almost thought I would be left alone, but after lunch Anko found me. She started rambling on and on at me, I didn't pay much attention to what she said, I just grunted when she paused and hoped the day would end soon. But then she invited me to dinner, and I didn't realize that was what she asked when I grunted, and that's how I got dragged to my first bar.

"You need a drink girl. You look like a mess. Just promise me you won't fuck up any of the idiots in here." Anko looked sincere, and it made me feel weird, because there was someone trying to be nice to me, to connect, and it had been a long time since I had that. I nodded, and a few seconds later there was a glass with a pretty amber liquid in it in front of me.

Anko was immediately distracted by a man who took the seat on her other side, but unless she got up and tried to leave me here I wasn't worried. I started to sip the drink, and it wasn't anything I expected. I didn't like the taste at all, but if it made it easier for me to think, and not feel the pain I had grown used to, I would drink as much as I could.

I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings, and I nearly jumped out of my skin when the seat next to me suddenly wasn't empty. I realized I knew the chakra signature first, then I saw the face of the person, and I cursed my horrible luck. It was Kabuto. I was so disoriented though, I didn't even react to his presence. Then I realized Anko had left, and I didn't know when she disappeared.

Kabuto was aloof while he was sitting next to me, like it was no big deal that he was almost twenty sitting next to a twelve year old, but since we were both ninja there weren't really any lines that were getting crossed. I felt myself slip out of the chair, and then he was there, holding me up. The bartender didn't pay us any attention, I made it out of the building easily. Kabuto was talking, and it took me a few seconds to even realize what he had said.

"... -sama wants you to know you aren't allowed to do stupid things like this. The only reason I stepped in was so you didn't get hurt, but next time I won't be here, and you will be on your own." I think he was trying to sound cold, but I didn't care. For the first time in a while I wasn't worrying about anything, and I would have been fine if he hadn't shown up.

The next day Anko apologized too much, I blocked her out and did as I was told. I ended up copying seals for the scrolls that the instructors would pop out of, they weren't very complex, and Anko told me a few things about seals I didn't know. I showed her how I could mark something, and how it made an internal map in my head, she said the theory was interesting but there wasn't a reason to use it, because it left tracks and could lead an enemy to where I was. I didn't listen to her.

The week passed that way, except I didn't go out with Anko again. Sure I bought my own alcohol, but all that took was me going into a liquor store and getting it myself. I was a ninja, and if a civilian tried to tell me I wasn't allowed to have it I would just go somewhere else. I knew Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun were back in the village when I heard yelling coming from Ichiraku's around noon at the end of the week, but I didn't have it in me to go near them, I was still unstable, everything I saw around me was how the Hokage was trying to control me.

I didn't want to admit it, but Orochimaru was tempting me, he wouldn't baby me, he would stay away from my special people, but at the same time I knew I would hurt both of them, no matter what I did I would hurt them. Even now, trying to stay to myself, I was hurting them. I knew Kakashi was trying to follow me, find a good time to talk to me, but I made sure I was either busy with Anko, or training hard enough that he wouldn't dare get near me.

I had an even harder time sleeping at night, and that's how I ended up training with Kabuto at night. He didn't go easy on me either, and it made me feel better, because I didn't have to think about the people I wanted to keep safe, I focused on pummeling his face in, or trying to at least. I knew I had no chance of beating him, ever, but I felt him pushing me ever further than I thought I could go each time, and each time I ended up being stronger.

It wasn't like he was training me past functioning in the day, but I was sore and in the few days I had to deal with him, I felt my endurance get better, but at the same time, the bullshit being shoved at me from the Hokage and every other ninja who agreed with him, they all thought I was weak, needed to be babied and kept away from real danger.

I was only going to be a guard during the exams because they knew I would find a way to be there, so they might as well put me on a mission,it gave me a place to be on paper. Whether or not I was actually guarding, or just follow team seven or the other team that gave me shivers, well they would never know.

The first day of the exams was the written exam, and they didn't have me watching for people cheating, but I helped with genjutsu around the building, I mostly made it so those who were very easily distracted by stuff they liked were more likely to walk into an empty room and be late.

Once I was done doing my thing, I was sent to the forest of death, because there were a few things that needed to be set up. Not much that took long, the stand where the testees would meet, the paperwork they would need to sign, the scrolls, which I actually decided to tag with my own seals, invisible now, thanks to the help from Anko-san, and I was informed of my post inside the forest. I had my own gear to last me a few days, I didn't need to stay in there constantly the whole time though. I was also given a radio headset, it was low quality but it had signal over the entire forest.

I had a day to set up my own plans, because I needed to find the places I recognized where the big fights were, tag them, and find a decent place to hide out and wait. I had two choices, I could follow team 7, which would definitely lead to trouble, or I could track the ninja that I knew was actually Orochimaru. It was likely enough that he didn't want to go after my brother now, but I think I was allowed to be paranoid in this situation. It felt like I was throwing everything away, I no longer really belonged in Konoha, I knew that deep down I didn't trust them enough to do good work for them.

That doesn't mean I trust Orochimaru, but I know Orochimaru will keep using me so long as I prove to be useful. That means I can just keep getting stronger, and when I get the chance I can get rid of who I can. Where I am now, I don't stand a chance to really beat either of them. So I would have to choose the side that would teach me more, that would help me get stronger faster. And I could feel the decision starting to kill me inside, because it should be wrong to want it, but I still did.

I used the chameleon genjutsu, and carefully crept around the fence near the shack that the scrolls would get handed out. I just needed to keep Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun and maybe even Sakura-chan safe. Then they can get stronger when I'm gone, and I can stop worrying about them.

Naruto was in the backyard of the large house he had come to know as home. Mirai-chan had basically disappeared, and it made him more scared than he ever remembered feeling. Sasuke-ba hadn't seen her either, but Kakashi-sensei assured both of them she was taking time off from training hard and fighting, apparently she had an admin mission.

Sasuke hadn't taken it well, first his family, his brother and now his sister. He was beyond worried and terrified, but he did what Mirai had taught him to do. Instead of freak out and worry, he was training. Naruto would join him in between his bouts of anxiety and sadness, but he wasn't into it. He was too worried.

Sasuke though of all the times Mirai had told him there was always a reason, so there was probably something going on that they didn't know about. Most likely this was part of a plan to help them, and for her to get stronger. Since she was already a chunin she could even be doing a mission with a separate team.

That just made Sasuke push himself harder, because he needed to catch up, he needed to be strong enough.

The test takers showed up the next day around noon, and it was easy to tell they didn't know what to expect. Some of them didn't even have packs, no tents and no food to last them a few days. I briefly say team 7, they were very well prepared. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun both had large bags, Sakura-chan was much less prepared. They would be fine. I kept telling myself that, mostly because of my own fear.

This day could go very very bad if I messed anything up. And I couldn't risk that. Not with who was at stake.

Everyone got their scrolls, signed their waivers, and I could feel my seals moving around with them, allowing me to feel where each team was. I couldn't tell who was who, but I knew the area that the fight would happen, the big one that could ruin my life, and I had an eye on the grass ninja that I knew was actually Orochimaru.

I figured he could easily see through my genjutsu, he looked my direction every once in awhile, and I couldn't help but flinch, because I didn't want to exist near him. I wanted to be a ghost and disappear, take Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun with me. Away from him, from Kabuto, even this damn village that isolated them.

All of the teams suddenly took off into the forest, and I kept barely out of range of the tag that I now knew what Orochimaru and his team. I didn't know if they went straight to wear team 7 was, but I knew they got a hold of a different scroll didn't they? I could feel the frustration build in my chest. I couldn't let this get out of hand, I couldn't. I could feel another team appear pretty much out of nowhere, but by the time I got close enough to see what was going on, the ground was already soaked with blood, and the only person was remaining was the pseudo grass nin. He had two scrolls in his hands, and then they were hidden in his cloak, and he was running off into the forest, almost faster than I could manage to keep up with him.

I could feel him homing in on the marker I put near the area the big fight was at, and panic started to well up in my chest. I made a clone, and sent it off to find team 7, and lead them away from the marker. Too bad I could feel Naruto-kun's chakra signature, and then I felt a massive, sick and venomous signature, and it couldn't be anyone but Orochimaru.

I dropped all the chakra from my weights, and I flew forward faster than I even realized I could move, it barely took me a second, and I was slicing open the throat of the snake that was trying to eat Naruto-kun, and at the same time there were thousands of clones of him. A lot of them just poofed away, and the real Naruto very quickly found me and was confused. I made yet another clone, I would pursue Orochimaru and my clone could take Naruto to the rest of his team.

"Mirai-chan! Where the hell have you been?! You can't even imagine how we feel you left-"

"Naruto-kun! Right now isn't the time for this! The man who is trying to kill you, he went after the rest of your team. I'm going to stop him, try to stall him, but you three need to be safe." I didn't leave any room for discussion in my tone, Naruto-kun needed to get away and get safe. He was crying, tears streaming down his face, and he angrily took off after my clone.

 **Don't you dare change your mind-** The kunai that was in my hand hadn't been there before, and I was suddenly bleeding from my arm. I needed to focus, I needed to stay in control. I couldn't let my mind get fuzzy, I couldn't give in. Orochimaru had stopped moving around the forest, I quickly radioed in that there was a situation, and I ran, because he already showed interest in me, and if I could keep him away from the other genin, I might have done some good.

 _Don't let this be the last time I see them-_


	13. Under Ice

**Under Ice**

Orochimaru knew I was coming, he knew where I was in the clearing before I dropped my genjutsu, and I barely had my swords out to block his attacks. He was trying to fight me back into the trees, but the mere second he gave me a break, I jumped over him and got further into the clearing.

"Finally come out to play, have you?" He was turned away from me, looking up at the clouds in the sky like he didn't just try to pummel me into the ground. It wasn't his voice, it was whatever ninja's body he was using, but I knew it was him. His chakra signature was faint, and my heart was pounding so hard I couldn't hear the yelling in my ear. I took the radio out of my ear, I needed to focus and it wasn't helping me.

My vision seemed to shudder between this world, and a darker opposite version, what I saw when I wasn't me, and something clenched my chest. Orochimaru turned towards me, the smile on his face didn't match his features, because it wasn't really him I was seeing, just the body he wanted to use-

 **Let me take over. He won't win-** There was blood running down my arm again, deeper this time, but I didn't bleed for long. _I won't give in._

"Hello Orochimaru-san. I believe Kabuto-san works for you then?" I tried to keep my voice even, I could feel the terror in my blood, it was worse than adrenaline, and I knew it would make it harder for me to think, act correctly. I couldn't let it.

I dodged before I realized he was trying to attack me, and all I could seem to do was dodge, he was faster and stronger than I was and what made it worse is that I knew, _knew_ , he was just toying with me. If he got bored and wanted me dead, I wouldn't exist anymore.

So I did what I could and I kept dodging, I would keep moving at least until I got hit and couldn't or he backed off and did something different. I could hear him laughing, it was a horrible scratching sound, and I wanted to just strangle him to make it stop. Instead I started to touch the ground as I dodged, leaving explosive tags that would go off when a different chakra was close enough.

They went off on him, kicked up lots of smoke and dirt, but he wasn't even phased. I already had my sharingan activated, it was the only reason he hadn't actually hit me yet, besides the fact that I was probably his new pet. I made one of the blasts too large though, and it sent me flying, then skidding away. The smoke cleared quickly, and the next few seconds happened very fast, but then slowed down beyond anything I had ever felt. I saw him making handsigns, and my brain was registering what they were, my hands were making them, but I didn't know what was going on.

It was like I was thrown in an ocean, my limbs felt heavy and I knew I wasn't in control, but I could tell my body was still moving. It was almost similar to a fog, except the fog was taking over my mind, and then just like that the fog was gone, and all the emotion, fear I had been feeling was gone.

I could feel how the chakra in my arms was being formed, and since I could see what Orochimaru was going to do, I got ahead, and it just cartwheeled into me finishing the jutsu first. It turned out to be nothing more than just a genjutsu, and since I had my sharingan activated it couldn't do anything to me. I saw Orochimaru grimace, but he shook his head and it was gone.

"Stupid brat. You don't have a clue who you are messing with-"

"Yes actually I do. You are Orochimaru of the Sanin, you used to be a part of the Akatsuki. They kicked you out because you wanted Itachi-nii-san to be your new vessel, which is why you came here. You with wanted me or my brother, and I'm never, ever letting you near him. Right now I don't feel anything, but when I do, I would never forgive myself. I will do what I must to keep them safe, and I won't let you stand in my way Orochimaru-baka." I didn't grin or smile, my voice was more monotone than it had been in a long while.

I could see the anger growing on his face, I wanted him to get angry, I didn't care right now. **I could help you, you know. I'll take over when you need me.** It seemed as if I had a sense of humor with myself, because why would I need-

Red bright, everywhere and I could taste the copper, there was a searing pain on my arm- my mask kept him from biting my skin-

In my mind palace I could feel the bastard pumping something into me, I could feel the mark spreading on my body, and since I could feel where he was biting me, I pulled on the source of whatever it was he was giving me. If he wanted me to have it I would take it. Power is power after all, and it might just leave him weak enough-

It shouldn't have been as effective as it was, I felt even more flow into me, and the shock coming from Orochimaru was palpable, he seemed stuck in place for a few seconds, a few seconds too long for him, and then finally jerked himself away.

I was left in my mind palace, with chakra that felt as intoxicating as a drug, but I knew it was eating away at every nerve in my body. But it felt good, so I didn't really care at the moment.

A chill was immediately in the air, Mirai had a slight purple tint to her eye, and the new curse mark on her arm was receding quickly. She eyed Orochimaru cooly, he was sort of just there and she didn't want to deal with him. Since he obviously was willing to invest a curse mark in her, he didn't want to kill her yet.

His green snake-like eyes were livid with anger, he started screaming at her. "Stupid brat! You don't know what you have done! You took far more than your body is willing to handle!" He snarled, and his tongue shot out at Mirai, and she simply side-stepped it and brought one of her swords up at it, so it flicked back the other direction away from her. Orochimaru growled, "Prove to me you are worth it brat. You want to keep your brother safe? Don't give me reason to go after him."

There was smoke, and he was gone. Mirai stood there, she didn't really care that she had the curse mark now, it meant she would have more power. She took out bandages though and covered it, others would see it and be alarmed, not trust her alone even more. And that fact drove her to sheer insanity, because if you have a strong ninja, you would want to use them, put them in the field where they can do some use. Sure you could do a mission where they might die, but if they are an issue it doesn't matter.

Mirai put the earpiece back in her ear, and informed everyone on the other end that the enemy got away, but didn't hurt any of the other genin besides the team that got killed initially and his fake teammates, who probably didn't even realize their friend wasn't what he looked.

Mirai quietly crept her way to the tower, there was no reason for her to be security anymore when the threat was gone. It never occurred to her that team 7 might need her, because she didn't really care, and she wanted to get stronger, not be weak with emotions like the rest of the village was.

The sand ninja had already been at the tower for a few hours. Gaara was brooding in a room for the people who were early on a higher floor, but his siblings were near the kitchen, where all the food was. Upon seeing her they looked alarmed, but Mirai simply told them she was a chunin who was helping with the security. Mirai proceeded to sit on the counter across from them, because she didn't need to sleep, not now, probably not for a few more days.

Other members of the security team showed up, mostly jounin, and they all thought it was a good idea to question Mirai at the same time.

"I could tell there was a battle going on, and I was curious who was fighting who. When I got there everyone but one was dead, and even then I could tell from his chakra it wasn't a genin. His outer skin or whatever flayed off- it stunk like bat shit trust me- and the guy had black hair, snake eyes, and was skinnier than I am. I mostly dodged his attacks, he ranted about taking over Konoha, and then he put me under a genjutsu, which didn't take me long to get out of, but when I did he was gone." Mirai repeated those same words over and over, each time with different sass in different parts, and she kept refusing to take a nap or rest.

Mirai wasn't tired, wasn't hurt, she could keep an eye on the genin and make sure they didn't try to kill each other until the round was over.

And that's what she did, until team 7 showed up, then she found somewhere to hide, because she didn't want to see Sasuke-kun, not when she knew there wouldn't be any emotion. When she looked in the mirror, her eyes still had a purple tinge to them, and they were very glassy, but her blood felt new, on fire, and it made her want to get stronger, and she knew she could. With no help from Konoha.

"Fuck! Let me out of here!" I was banging on the walls of my mind palace, it had shrunk down to the side of a single room. I could see and I could hear what was going on, but I couldn't change anything. I was forced to exist and hate the predicament I was in, because it wasn't my fault, it couldn't be. Konoha was slacking, they didn't care, and they didn't do their job. She should be allowed to turn on them, because they fucked up and they let the damage happen.

Whatever was taking over my body acted enough like me, except I seemed more quiet and slightly more creepy now. I didn't talk much, and as soon as I felt team 7 in the tower I wasn't around anyone. I wasn't sure where I was at first, then I realized I was looking over the forest, it was dark, there were no other chakra signatures around.

I tried to fight whatever it was that was in control, and then I wasn't alone in the room, there was another me, but I could immediately tell it wasn't me. It was the me that came from my split mind, the me that didn't care so much about emotion and loving, and just wanted to get stronger.  
I couldn't even say anything to it, to me, because I couldn't believe it actually happened. I knew it was something that could happen to ninjas, there was a clan that had a similar thing happen, but it was part of a kekki genkai, not just from going crazy. I refused to give in before, but when I faced Orochimaru I didn't really seem to have a choice. I couldn't hold on because I was weak, and in a way I was able to step up, but it was also a step down.

This was going to end up being a battle of the minds, which side was stronger than the other, dark over light, love over greed, greed to get stronger and do whatever it takes to win.

I was suddenly back in the tower, in whatever rafters were above the rooms that held the genin, and I could hear the voice of Naruto-kun, but I couldn't focus on it. I was watching Kabuto, he actually came in later than team 7, which meant he didn't talk to them and try to help them. For all I knew he got more orders from his bastard monster. I sat cross legged, and started to form hand seals, but it wasn't me. I could feel the chakra pooling and forming, it was for a powerful attack and I couldn't tell who it was directed at, and it needed to stop, my brother was nearby and so was team 7, and **no this isn't happening here, I'll do it later-**

My breathing was suddenly ragged, my lungs felt like fire, but I was actually feeling them, and my hands weren't moving anymore. I looked down at Kabuto, and he actually looked up at where I was, the slight crack I was watching him through, it was too dark for him to see me, but he probably felt the chakra grow and then vanish, and he knew it was me.

I made the chakra dissipate, my hands felt hot, sweaty, and I could see the dark purple chakra pooling off of them. I knew getting rid of Kabuto was a priority, but not when I had a chance of hurting my old team. I needed to get out of there, right away, and I needed someone who could help me take control.

It wasn't easy to find Kakashi, I actually ran into Anko first. She was trying to figure out what it is that happened in the forest, because by the time any of the other jounin got there Orochimaru was gone, myself as well, but the chakra in the air emitted a feeling of death apparently. She looked at me, and first she was confused but then she realized that it was my chakra they had felt, because for the first time in a while I wasn't hiding it. She was suddenly next to me and then we were moving, and before I knew it we were in a room, I didn't know where, but we were alone, and I didn't feel anything outside of the room.

I could tell there were seals, many in fact, but there was no way I could tell you what they did or where they were. I sat on the ground and let myself try to hide, I only did it for myself and for how it might make me feel, because I was on the edge of a mental cliff, about to either jump and give up, or actually lose my shit.

I couldn't close my eyes, because if I did then I saw the person who wasn't me, and she was so apathetic about it all that I wanted to scream and beat her into the ground, because now I almost had no choice but to go with that bastard, all because she cared about power at the moment it could be given. Anko looked like she wanted to either hug me or throttle me, probably because I went and I did something stupid, but I also almost died, and I knew that in some weird way she liked me.

She sighed. "I know what you have gone through Mirai-chan-" I interrupted her because no, she didn't know, there weren't two of her in her head, she wasn't existing to keep her sibling from doing the stupid shit I was. I was in danger now and I was turning on my village so my brother wouldn't have to, so he could stay in the village and be happy. At least a little happy.

"You don't know what I'm going through Anko-san. Sure you also have a curse mark, but I wasn't me when I got it, I haven't been me for the past few days. And you can do what you want to the seal sure, but when the time comes I'm not going to be in control and I won't hold back. I won't care who's around me, and I'll just attack and take out what caused me to lose control. I'm a ticking time bomb and-" Anko-san started to hush me, putting both hands on my shoulders and bending down slightly. I wasn't crying at all, my voice had been monotone but the volume had been getting louder as I talked.

"You're right Mirai-chan, I don't know exactly how you feel, but I do know what it feels like to be alone. The man that gave you that mark," She gripped the bandage over the scar, it still hurt if it was messed with and I couldn't hide my flinch, "That same man ruined my life. He taught me things I wish I never knew, and sure I'm strong now, but I'm more broken than you could imagine." Anko looked very sad, like she had never really had a chance to tell anyone her story before. Because yes she was also alone, her affiliation with that man drove her away from other people, mostly because they tried to hurt her as well. But she still stayed here, and defended her home.

But when the moment came the other me would take over, and I wouldn't really be able to make the choice to stay. And what was even worse, I didn't remember exactly when it would end up happening. It would be after the chunin exams yes, but until then I didn't know what I was going to do, who I was going to become.

I simply sat down on the floor, it was dusty, the room hadn't been used in a while, it was easy to tell. Anko pulled out a brush and ink, probably special ink for sealing actually, and she got to work on the seal she had to draw, it would have to be complex for the curse mark. I pulled the bandage off my arm, let it set fire with my chakra. Fire nature itself wanted to burn things, so letting it do its thing was very easy.

Eventually Anko made me lay on the ground on my back, and she stared at me for a moment, then told me to strip down to my underwear. She needed to write on my skin, and didn't want to ruin my clothing. I didn't feel anything as I took it all off, maybe she expected me to be embarrassed, she averted her eyes and looked away, but my mind was already freezing over.

The future was coming and I was no longer in control, other people were affecting my life, I wasn't the only person invested in me getting stronger, other people were putting what they could into me, and now that I thought about it, people had been doing so since I graduated early. But since it was obvious I was getting stronger faster than they wanted to deal with me, so they tried to slow me down, and other people were more interested in helping me be stronger than the village could protect me from.

As I stared at the ceiling, I realized just how tired I was, how much I wanted to just give up, but there wasn't a way I could do that without hurting Sasuke-kun even more. Life wasn't going to wait for me to be ready, it was going to do whatever the hell it wanted to, and it already was.

I woke up in a hospital room, all of my senses seemed horribly muted, I could barely smell the disinfectant hospitals are always notorious for, and I knew the sheets should be scratchy and I shouldn't even be warm, but I couldn't feel it. The only thing I felt was the burning core of the curse mark, it was fighting to get free, and whatever Anko did to was taking away the physical energy I had. I was still tired, but I knew I had probably been out for a few days.

When I looked around, I noticed a few cards and a vase of flowers sitting on the table next to me, one of the cards was flowery and pink, it screamed Sakura-chan, and the other card was blue, there was a landscape on it, and I knew it was Kakashi, who probably got Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun to sign it. They were probably enraged with me, I didn't talk to them since they got back, I missed their fights, and I ended up nearly getting myself killed.

I went through the motions without thinking, my bag was next to the table and I put the cards in it, I wasn't sure what to do with the flowers, there wasn't a name on them and they could just belong on the table. I knew I couldn't face anyone, not when Kakashi probably knew what was wrong, and the rest of team seven just thought I abandoned them. I felt like ice still, every part of me was cold and starting to care even less and less about what was going on, I just knew if I was around the people I cared about, I might hurt them or change into a person I wanted to shove deep deep down into myself, where no one else would meet her.

But she was me and no matter what I did, she would be there ready to take over, already I could hear her voice, my voice, as cold as I felt, telling me to just go find him, the man that would make me strong, and be near the man I needed to kill to save everyone.

When I saw the mark on my arm, the ice started to melt, but it didn't melt much before it froze again. Anko had turned it into a tattoo, so other people would see it and not know right away, the curse mark was easily still visible, but it looked like an interweaving of swirls, all together making it look like there wasn't anything there at all, just a tattoo. But I could feel the chakra pulsing in it, and the me in my head told me to touch it, let it loose, but I was able to resist the urge. It was a sleeping snake, and poking it would only provoke it.

There was no reason for me to check out or whatever I was supposed to do in a hospital, they would tell me to go see someone I would end up wanting to kill, so I left through the window, onto a roof nearby, and carefully made my way to the edge of Konoha. I knew I was being watched, there were people everywhere and I knew that no one would leave me alone, not after what all had happened and what all I knew was going to happen.

I simply sat on the roof of the building I had moved into before all the shit hit the fan. I didn't want to do anything, go anywhere, see anyone. I could go train, but there was no motivation in me to try, to want to get stronger when no matter what I did other people would make me get stronger for their own purposes.

I knew I was being watched the base of my skull tingled, but I didn't feel any chakra. Then there was a spark, and I felt the presence of lightning puppies, a presence that immediately calmed me down. If anyone could help me with this, it would be Shishou.

I turned to where I thought he was, and indeed he was on the other side of the roof. I couldn't really tell what emotions he must have been feeling. I realized in that moment how much I had drifted away from him, Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun. I felt a pain so sharp in my chest that I actually winced. I was supposed to be here for them, but I let myself get blinded by this other me, by Orochimaru and whatever power he supposed he could give me. There had to be a way around leaving the village, I couldn't hurt either of them again.

I stayed where I was and looked away when Kakashi-shishou walked over to me, I actually wasn't sure if I was still his apprentice even. I don't recall being told that it was broken, just that I needed to take a break. And look where it got me.

"Mirai-minarai- you've caused quite the fuss. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun both miss you dearly. I apologize for trying to make you rest, but you really to need to-"

"I haven't been telling the whole truth Shishou. I've never been sure how to bring it up. I- maybe I'm just a coward. I don't know. But I need to talk to Hokage-sama. I have information you both need to hear. You can send me to T&I, they can look through my memories if they can get past my walls-" There was suddenly a hand on my shoulder, Shishou was trying to calm me down. I hadn't realized I went from talking at a normal pace to talking faster and faster.

"First lets get you to a hospital. I'm sure you could use healing in some shape or form. I'd like to get a look at your curse mark- Anko-san talked to me. She said you were very troubled and needed someone to talk to. I'm not taking you to see Ibiki-san unless it's necessary. We will make sense of this."

"Well her chakra is draining at a constant rate. Something in her mind is just using it, it could be connected to what happened during the exams." The medic nin didn't even bother talking to me, she was talking to Kakashi-shishou like he was my guardian, and in a way he kind of was. I was curled up on my hospital bed facing the other way, trying to block them out. It wasn't working.

So much stuff had gone wrong, I wasn't sure it was salvageable at this point. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun were probably angry with me, I had kind of dropped off the face of the earth since their chunin exams started. But there was going to be an invasion here and I needed to be able to handle myself.

I had a feeling that the part of me draining my chakra was related to my sharingan. The events in the forest were traumatizing enough, along with the new chakra entering my system. A lot of it was being held back by the seal work done by Anko, but enough had made it out before she fixed it.

The other problem was that I knew my issue wasn't really just another me, more like nightmares that had turned to hallucinations. It made sense, I saw things that weren't there when I was in the land of waves, and here there was some other me that took over and twisted my thinking. But I had a feeling that in way, my hallucinations had just become her. I wasn't seeing swirls of color, just hearing her and suddenly not being me. I probably needed to see a Yamanaka- they would know how to fix it if it were possible to fix it.

I sat up, there was no reason to sit around and mope. I heard Shishou sigh, he didn't really get much of anything about my current state from the medic who looked over me.

"Shishou, it would be beneficial if I went to see a Yamanaka. They can get into my head and see what is causing the drain." I could tell my voice sounded tired, because well, the past few days had kind of sucked. I had a right to be tired.

"Alright. Hopefully they can get this done quickly, Hokage-sama wants to talk to you."

I appeared in my mind palace, kind of at least. I was put under by one of their signature jutsus, it was supposed to let them go in and reorganize everything. I was going to just wait it out, until the mirror reappeared. I saw the other me again, and the anger she felt was obvious. Whatever they were going to fix in my mind, would probably cause her to cease existing.

I was okay with that.

I could see the array of emotion go across her face, my face. She didn't like that I was against going with Orochimaru, but the thought of having to be around him constantly, giving him so much power over me, made me sick to my stomach.

Family was worth much more to me now, since I knew what it felt like to have one now. Before I was in the world I was always ridiculing marriage and having kids, but the ties you make with people, dedicating yourself to helping them become greater, had an appeal. When Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun are able to learn things that I think benefits them, and watching them get stronger every day, I feel like I've actually made a difference.

This other girl, she's more like the old me, the me that just wanted to prove myself and not bring anyone with me. I wasn't like that anymore, I had connections.

And just like that, she started to fade, and then I saw me, the new me, confident and strong. I could feel the bad chakra in my system, but it was starting to listen to my body. It would make me stronger sure, I had more chakra now and it was slightly stronger than it had been before.

I could feel a hand going through my memories, of my life before this, of the show I now live in. The Yamanaka was probably doing this for Shishou, to verify that I knew things I had no way of knowing.

I could tell they were done rifling through my mind, they wanted me to wake up.

So I did.

"She has vague memories of a world like this one, except she doesn't exist in it." It was the same Yamanaka from when I was little, and from when the clan was killed. I felt like there was a slight connection between us at this point.

"The drain was coming from a gift of the snake sannin, he left a genjutsu block in her mind that would cause her to activate his seal, that way she would be more likely to find him for more power. She was resisting it quite well though. She would rather die than betray the village."

I heard Kakashi-shishou sigh, hey at least you found out what it was.

I sat up slowly, and was surprised to find that my headache was gone. Everything felt slightly hazy, but that was probably due to the jutsu from the Yamanaka. I saw him smiling slightly, he seemed glad I was no longer in pain.

Hokage-sama was waiting in his office, it was actually the middle of the night. I don't know how long it had been, but for the first time in awhile I felt refreshed. I still wasn't sure how I would explain everything, but prophets did exist in this world, and the fact that a Yamanaka was able to see that I had memories of it all kind of helped.

Maybe it would at least.

"This is a lot to believe Mirai-chan. But it does explain a lot. If you are correct and the Yamanaka you saw before you came to see me did indeed see your visions, we have no reason not to believe you. Kakashi-san can help you manage your seal, it requires you to want it to be held in check. I don't think you will have issues with that."

Hokage-sama sighed, the young Uchiha seemed to have been hiding a lot her entire life. She coped with everything she knew, and did what she could to stop her brother from being targeted. But that just turned her into a target herself.

"It would be best for the village if you, well, there aren't many options." The Hokage looked up and made eye contact with the girl. She looked determined, and she probably already had an idea of what he was going to say. "You should join Anbu."

 _Alright everyone! This is everything I have so far. This is the chapter where I didn't like where things went, like, at all. I actually hated it. So I nixed it. I hope those of you who like the story like this, its much better than it was. Good news: I have an actual computer to type on now. That and the fact that I probably won't be off it when I'm not working, well, I'll have plenty of chances to type. I'm going to draw Mirai up soon, I have one drawing that is eh, it isn't good enough to be a cover. I know what I want my cover to look like, and there's a scanner at the hospital I work at, so when I get it drawn it won't have to be a picture or anything._

 _Anyway, I have a thing to say about reviews. This should be in the first chapter sure, but the people who matter will read it here. If you don't like something about the story, of course review and tell me. But tell me why you don't like it. If I just get "This is stupid" Then I'll assume you are too stupid to formulate constructive criticism. Tell me why you don't like it, and then I can fix it. I know I had issues with honorifics before, and people told me nicely, and I've tried to just not use them._

 _Plus, if you really don't like the story, well, I've put more time into writing this than you have by reading it. So go write something you do like. That is the purpose of Fanfiction after all, and it's how I started writing._

 _Anyway, sorry for the rant, I love you guys, and let me know what you think!_

 _3 K-_


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